Basketball: Coach Balogun excited with Rookies Academy end of the year tournament

ILESANMI MOTUNRAYO OLUKEMI 

Coach Mark Balogun expressed joy with the end of the year Rookies Basketball Tournament held at the basketball court of Nigeria Police College, Ikeja, Lagos.

According to the retired Chief Superintendent of Police, ‘the academy tournament and programmes have been a blessing to teeming youths across Lagos State.

Coach Balogun who’s daughter Elizabeth Balogun a member of D’Tigress to the 2023 Afrobasket triumph and also part of the Nigeria senior women national team that got to the quarter finals of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The 2024 tournament won by MaxHoop academy with Rookies Academy taking second spot in the boys U-16 category while Pace Seater defeated New Sun academy in the girls U-16

Coach Balogun highlighted the academy stride in producing great talents who have gone on to represent the nation in various national assignment.

He named the likes of Churchill Odia who played for D’Tigers and Ebun Comets, others include Michael Ohiero, late junior Tigers captain Daniel Daudu, Blessing Amos, among other players that passed through the Rookies Academy programme.

He promised to make the tournament bigger in 2025 by giving it a national outlook.

“Our future plans is to get more states involved in our programme and I know that is achievable.