Topfield School wins Ikoyi Club junior summer basketball tournament

The weeklong maiden edition of Junior Summer Basketball Tournament put together by Aerobics and other sports section of Ikoyi Club ended Friday, August, 16, 2024 with Topfield School emerging winners.

Held at the sports hall of the section, the players showed good mastery of the slam and dunk game to the admiration of their parents, club members and invited guests.

To emerge winners of the round robin game, Topfield won all their matches to gain a total of 12 points. They also won the final deciding match against hard fighting Ikoyi Team A by 61-54 points to be crowned champion and cart away the giant trophy at stake.

Ikoyi Team A came second with 10 points, having won four and lost two of their matches. They were closely followed by RangeRockers who though had the same points with them, recorded a lower goal aggregate.

An excited Coach of the winning team, Godspower Anokam and his Captain, Miene Praise told our correspondent shortly after the game that hard work and dedication gave them victory just as they commended the organisers for putting up such an interesting tournament with a pledge that they’ll be around next year to defend the title.

” We’re really excited emerging champions of the maiden edition of the tournament and we’re looking forward to defending the title next year.

” We give kudos to Ikoyi Club for putting the championship together and we implore them to sustain it as it’s capable of producing future champions for the country in the game of basketball”, they stressed.

Runners-up handler, Coach Christian Samuel admitted that his team lost to a better side but was quick to add that they are worthy losers as they lost to the best secondary school basketball team in Lagos State just as he assured that his boys will come out stronger next year

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Chairman of Aerobics and other sports section of the prestigious club Mrs. Kikelemo Asuelime expressed
happiness with the conduct of the players throughout the duration of the tournament which made the competition interesting

According to her, she’s looking forward to more teams participating in next year’s edition as well as having an exhibition game for the girls.

” I’m highly excited with the successful completion of the tournament and the way the players comported themselves. The championship is not all about winning but to enable the players gain more confidence and exposure on the game of basketball and hopefully, some of them will later play the game at the highest level.

” It’s equally important I state that am looking forward to seeing more teams participate in the second edition because it’s going to be an annual event and by next year, we hope to have an exhibition game for the girls”, she assured.

Captain of the section, Mrs. Bolaji Pearse in her remarks, stated that the competition is part of the plans by Aerobics and other sports section of the club to develop basketball at the grassroots level with a promise that they’ll continue to sustain it.

Pearse while commending their sponsors for partnering with them towards a successful hosting of the event, appealed for more corporate sponsorship to enable them have a seamless second edition.

At the end of the day, certificates were issued to all the players while the winners, first and second runners- up got medals and trophies.

A total of seven teams namely; Topfield School, Ikoyi Team A, RangeRockers, Doozy Stars Academy, Whitesand School, Ikoyi Team B and Provazios took part in the tournament.