A new basketball club, Gidi Giants, will be launched today when the Temple Jam Basketball Tournament tips off. The invitational basketball tournament, which will feature seven Nigerian clubs and one from Ghana, will start by 12 noon at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.
Gidi Giants are making their debut in the exciting world of basketball with the competition. A member of the Gidi Giants management team said the details of the team would be made public in the course of the competition.
The Temple Management Company in conjunction with the Lagos State Basketball Association announced last week that eight clubs from within Nigeria and across Africa would participate in the inaugural Temple Jam Basketball Tournament.
The round of games will run from today to November 24. The teams were billed to arrive in Lagos yesterday, starting off with their photoshoots.
Apart from Gidi Giants, the other teams in the competition are Nigeria Potters (which replaced Kano Pillars), Oluyole Warriors (Oyo), Comets (Ondo), Anambra Flames, Gombe Bulls and Tema Harbour City (Ghana). Former NBA player and one of the organisers of the event, Olumide Oyedeji, said:
“This club competition has been established to support the development of basketball across Africa and provide a platform for clubs and players to encompass the sporting principles offered through this initiative.
“This tournament will give eight teams from across Africa the unique opportunity to compete with the best clubs of the continent.”The matches will hold on a daily basis except for Saturday, which would serve as a rest day before the final game and closing ceremony on Sunday.
