Gombe Bulls, the first runners-up at the Kwese Basketball Premier League Super 8 Competition, will do Nigeria proud on the continent next season, a player said in Gombe on Tuesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Gombe Bulls had on Saturday in Kano finished second at the competition to qualify for the FIBA Africa Club Championship which holds in November.
Yakubu Silver, the Gombe Bulls captain, pledged during the reception organised by the State Sports Commission for the team that they were confident of excelling on the continent.
Silver said: “We desire the support of Nigerians during our campaign in the championship. We particularly solicit their prayers for us to emerge victorious.’’
Also speaking, Samson Adak, the Gombe Bulls’ Coach, said he was confident that the team would perform well at the championship because of the quality of players in the squad.
Adak said: “The players have been working hard even before the season began.’’
He attributed their achievement to determination and teamwork and also gave credit to the winners, Kano Pillars, for their excellent performance, lauded the state government for its support.
He added: “We will however solicit for more, because the assignment before us requires adequate motivation in order to boost the players’ performance level.
“Kano Pillars, for example, are a fully motivated team. That is why they do the much they are doing. So, I expect the government of Gombe State to at this stage most especially to motivate us.”
Mohammed Suleiman, the Chairman of Gombe State Sports Commission who received the competition’s cash prize cheque of N15 million, said the success was a result of the state government’s investment in sports.
Suleiman said: “We were committed. We went into the competition very strong, we stayed very strong and now we have conquered.
“Now that we have done well, we are going to continue to do well and by the grace of God, when we get to the continent, we will do well again. But I want to urge you to continue in this spirit.’’
Suleiman commended the team’s commitment as well as the support of the state government, the State House of Assembly and other stakeholders.
The chairman urged youths to engage in sports as a way of empowering themselves while winning laurels for their fatherland.
He said Gombe Bulls broke a two-decade jinx at the group stage when they gave Kano Pillars a first home defeat in 20 years before going on to lose to them in the final match.
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