The factional president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Mr Igoche Mark, has given financial rewards to winners in the basketball event at the just-concluded National Universities Games Association (NUGA) hosted by the University of Lagos (UniLag).
Igoche was at the venue of the final last Friday amidst cheers from fans and players to watch the game between host, UniLag and Nile University of Abuja.
At the end of the keenly contested finals which Nile University Abuja piped host UniLag 69-61 points to win the gold medal, the NBBF president doled out N250,000 to the winners just as the runners up also smiled home with the same amount.
The third-place winners, Ahmadu Bello University ABU, Zaria got N100, 000 from the proprietor of Mark Mentors basketball club of Abuja.
Speaking to Journalists, Mark said the gesture was to appreciate and encourage the players and their coaches to put in their best in future engagements.
“This gesture was a personal appreciation to the winners of this game because regardless of the scoreline, both teams gave a good fight and that is the reason I had to reward all of them.
“I have never hidden my love for the game of basketball and readiness to support the growth of the game at the grassroots,” said Igoche.
He said that the basketball family is one and united adding that the welcome he received at the venue of the finals only confirmed his popularity among the genuine stakeholders in basketball.
“The basketball family is one and united because those claiming that the family is in crisis are not current with the realities of events.
“The reception I got here affirms my mandate as NBBF president and stakeholders’ warm embrace of the ideology of the New Face of Basketball,” he stated
