Temitope Olowosuru, the coach of Defenders basketball club at the ongoing Division One League, says they are already preparing themselves for life in next season’s DStv Basketball Premier League.
Olowosuru said on Friday in Abuja that they are already in high spirits now, after they won their sixth match of the league’s Savannah Conference against Benue Braves 59-33.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the win took the Defenders to the top of the Savannah Conference log at the tournament.
The coach said this was because the Defenders have had tough matches at the beginning of the tournament but have come out victorious in those matches.
“We started with the very difficult games, but now we just have to take it easy, because we have bigger games ahead of us after today’s (Friday’s) match.
“We have already qualified for the Premier League by not losing any of our matches so far. All we are doing now is to finish the season in high spirits ahead of the Premiership challenge.
“Right now we are on a winning streak, having started well with the Interior Games in Kaduna where we won the basketball gold,” he said.
Olowosuru said his team, which is owned by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), had learnt a lot from its past.
“We were in the DStv League before. But we now have more competent and well-bonded players and we are going to take that spirit to the DStv league.
“Now we have only one match to go, and the other teams in the Savannah Conference have lost at least two matches each and we are very prepared to win our next match on Saturday,” he said.
On what has motivated the team to be doing so well in the tournament, the coach said NSCDC’s current management has really been supportive.
“The support for the team has been coming from the Commandant-General, who has been very supportive of sports development,” he said.
Also speaking after their victory on Friday, Joseph Alhassan, the team captain, said: “Our victory was nice and very deserving. We are very happy that we won today (Friday).
“It will prepare us for Saturday’s match and the one of Sunday.
“We are not going to take any of our remaining matches lightly. We are determined to win all our matches because we are pursuing a clean slate.
“Our inspiration is drawn from our team’s coordination and the motivation from our Commandant-General.
“We have been promised promotion in the service and that is a strong motivation for us to win all our games,” he said.
Similarly, Titus Ayodele, the NSCDC Sports Commandant, said they were grateful to the management for the motivation which had not solely been all about money.
“The management is so magnanimous to the team in terms of monetary awards, scholarship, promotion and other form of support.
“Above all, they had given us free hand to do what we know best. By the special grace of God, we are going to the Premiership,” he said. (NAN)
