Sani Ahmed, Coach of Kano Pillars Basketball Club of Kano, has said that the team was determined to defend the Final 8 trophy when the competition holds in September in Kano.
Ahmed made the assertion after the Savannah Conference 6 which ended in Kaduna on Sunday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Pillars, who are the defending champions, emerged the winner of Savannah Conference. The team won all the five matches in the playoffs.
Ahmed said that the team’s ultimate desire was to retain the Final 8 trophy.
“Winning the Savanna Conference 6 shows the level of consistency in the club. It also tells of the amount of hard work put in by the players to winning tournaments.
“The ultimate goal of the team is to retain the Final 8 trophy next month.
“The team is not 100 per cent perfect yet. We are still a high scoring side averaging 80 points per game but we are still going to do more to defend and win the Final 8 at home in Kano.
“Our tradition is to win any tournament we find ourselves in,’’ he said in a statement by Patrick Omoirodion, the media Adviser to the league.
“So, we aim to retain the Final 8. We have noticed some lapses in the course of our games and will work on them before the Final 8.
“I noticed the boys sometimes get complacent; but we need to be consistent and more perfect in taking shots.’’
The coach said that the conference playoffs were part of the team’s preparations for participation in an invitational tournament in Malaysia in September.
“Immediately we conclude the Final 8, we shall be honouring a fully sponsored trip to Malaysia for an invitational tournament involving teams from Japan, China, and Malaysia and from other Asian countries.
“Good enough, we will be prepared because the Kwese Premier Basketball League Final 8 is good preparations for the tournament,’’ Ahmed said.
The Savannah and the Atlantic Conferences had six teams each, with the Savannah Conference played at the Murtala Muhammed Square, Kaduna, while the Atlantic Conference was held in Ilorin.
Four teams qualified for the Final 8 from the conferences which will hold from Sept. 4 to Sept. 9.
Kano Pillars defeated Gombe Bulls 104-97 points in their first game and also defeated Kada Stars 91-58.
The Kano side trashed Bauchi Nets 85-44 points, while Niger Potters was humiliated 103-71 points.
Plateau Peaks got bashed with 80-64 points for the Pillars to maintain an unbeaten run.
In the Atlantic Conference, Kwara Falcons, coached by Adewunmi Aderemi, won all its five matches.
The team defeated Police Batons 106-70, thrashed Oluyole Warriors 77-67 and outran Customs 84-73.
Hoops and Read fell to the superior power of the Falcons 73-78, while Rivers Hoopers was beaten 85-66 in the final game.
In the Atlantic Conference, Rivers Hoopers placed second, Hoops and Read third place and Customs fourth. Police Batons and Oluyole Warriors didn’t make the Final 8.
Aderemi, said that his team would work for fitness level ahead of the Final 8.
“My dream is to help to pick a continental club ticket for the club.
“We shall try our best to win vital games in Kano when the Final 8 begins. We won’t let the Atlantic Conference victory enter the heads of our players.
“The journey is still far and I believe strongly that, we shall make a very big impact in the Final 8,’’ he said. (NAN)
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