Joe
. Okpaluba, Oduleye shine
Hoops and Read Basketball Club of Lagos claimed the 4th edition of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Unity Basketball Championship, following a 55–52 victory over Police Baton, also of Lagos.
In the finals held on Sunday, 5 October, at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos, Hoops and Read proved to be the the team of the moment.
After the first quarter ended with 12 points apiece, Hoops and Read stepped on the gas to dominate the second quarter 17–8, closing out the first half with a 29–20 lead.
They continued from where they left off in the third quarter with another 14–9 win. Despite a late rally by Police Baton—led by veterans Kayode Balogun and Williams Malu—who helped secure a 13–11 win in the final quarter, it was a case of too little, too late, as Hoops and Read held their ground to grind out the win.
Ikenna Okpaluba of Hoops and Read scored 14 points, had 2 steals, and 5 rebounds, while Adebayo Oduleye contributed 12 points, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 4 rebounds.
Head Coach of Hoops and Read, Dossou Mensah, said it was a tough game that required resilience and tactical discipline to secure victory. “We knew it would not be an easy match. Police Baton have great experience, but our turnaround in the second quarter gave us confidence.”
Oluyole finished third after defeating Delta Force 68–55. Okpaluba was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP). He was also selected in the Best 5 alongside Uwvo Louis (Oluyole Warriors), Eze Saviour (Delta Force), Michael Steve (Police Baton), and Adebayo Oduleye (Hoops and Read).
The Nigerian Armed Forces, through the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, reaffirmed their commitment to national unity through sports as a symbol of togetherness.
Speaking at the event in Lagos, Gen. Musa expressed satisfaction with the level of competition and organization, commending the Local Organising Committee for a job well done.
He noted that Lagos, the Centre of Excellence, provided the perfect setting for the fourth edition of the tournament and announced that the Unity Cup train will move to the South-East, with Imo, Anambra, or Enugu State being considered as host locations.
“We also want to have a basketball clinic for the youth. All we are trying to do is to unite Nigeria. We are one family, we should come together and work together. We all know sports is one thing that unifies Nigerians, and basketball is one of them. It is a wonderful game, and we want to continue to encourage it. We are not only doing basketball; we are also doing football and other events. The idea is to give everybody the opportunity to come together, to be united, and to work together as a team.”
He added that plans are underway to introduce a youth basketball clinic as part of efforts to use sports to foster unity.
Hoops and Read received ₦2 million, while Police Baton and Oluyole Warriors earned ₦1.5 million and ₦1 million respectively.
