NGR – Kano Pillars edge out Royal Hoopers to retain title

PORT HARCOURT (DStv Premier League Playoffs) – Kano Pillars successfully defended their championship by edging out home side Royal Hoopers 78-77 in Port Harcourt, River State.

The final lived up to the expectations of the large crowd that turned out to see the best of Nigeria basketball.

Kingsley Aguara opened the scoring from beyond the arc for the home side, but the defending champions answered right back as Nigeria international Abubakar Usman sank three free-throws after being fouled on a three-point attempt.

The game was close throughout and the title was up for grabs with the score tied at 71 with under five minutes left to play. The bigger and more experienced Pillars prevailed in the end as they held off Hoopers for their second Premier League title in and third consecutive league crown, having won the year before the coming of DStv into the Nigerian league.

Seeded in Group B as the defending champions, Pillars entered the 2010 DStv Premier League final-8 playoffs as clear favourite to claim the title at the end of the 5-Day playoffs which was watched by a capacity crowd at the Civic Centre in Port Harcourt.

Pillars paraded some of the most tested players in the local scene with four of them being part of Nigeria’s Men’s Senior National Team D’Tigers that played in the FIBA Africa Championship for Men Zone-3 Qualifiers in Lome, Togo in July.

Having spent close to five seasons together as a team, there was little for Pillars head coach Sani Ahmed to worry about as his formidable side dispatched Union Bank 82-73 in its group opener.

They then tore apart Police Baton of Lagos 73-44 and wrapped Group B play with a triumphant 66-48 victory over Bauchi Nets to top the pool and reach the semi-finals.

Pillars faced Dodan Warriors – who finished second in Group A behind Royal Hoopers – and there was little the Lagos club could do as they were on the receiving end of a 99-71 defeat.

DStv Premier League Playoffs

Day 1
Group A: Dodan Warriors 68 Niger Potters 40; Royal Hoopers 84 Kada Stars 66.
Group B: Kano Pillars 82 Union Bank 73; Bauchi Nets 61 Police Baton 65.

Day 2
Group A: Kada Stars 64 Dodan Warriors 76; Niger Potters 47 Royal Hoopers 75.
Group B: Union Bank 58 Bauchi Nets 64; Police Baton 44 Kano Pillars 73.

Day 3
Group A: Kada Stars 80 Niger Potters 49; Royal Hoopers 80 Dodan Warriors 53.
Group B: Kano Pillars 66 Bauchi Nets 48; Union Bank 67 Police baton 57.

Day 4
Semi-Finals: Kano Pillars 99 Dodan Warriors 71; Union Bank 50 Royal Hoopers 65.

Day 5
Third place final: Dodan Warriors 74 Union Bank 80 (after overtime).
Final: Kano Pillars 78 Royal Hoopers 77.

Olusegun Ikuesan
FIBA Africa