Accolades for First Deepwater Discovery Boss

The maiden edition of the First Deepwater Discovery Battle for Supremacy basketball tournament may have come and gone but the memory lingers on as stakeholders are united in praises of the sponsor especially the man at the helms of affair of the Oil and Gas Company, Engineer Babatunde Babalola.

Veteran Coach and former Director of sports in the employment of the Lagos State Sports, Council, Ganiyu Otenigbagbe says the competition is timely and a welcome development.

The former Chief Coach of First Bank basketball club, Lagos eulogizes the gesture of Engr. Babalola for single handedly sponsoring the tournament which brought out the best from teams and players.

He praised the decision to make the tournament an annual event.

Josiah Ahmedu a FIBA graded statistician is happy that First Deepwater Discovery Limited is returning basketball to its glorious days.

The younger Ahmedu says it’s been long since we had this type of tournament and I’m particularly happy that the sponsor – First Deepwater Discovery Limited has pleaded to make the tournament an annual event.

Another point that thrilled the one time Inside Basketball Presenter is the idea of moving the tournament round the country with Kano as host of the 2009 edition.

He called on the relevant basketball bodies in the country to emulate and encourage the gesture of First Deepwater Discovery Limited in taking the slamming and dunking game to the next level.

Ivy League Coordinator, John Abimbola Faniran and member of the Lagos State Basketball Association gave kudos to the sponsor for sponsoring a tournament of such magnitude.

He applauded the boss of First Deepwater Discovery Limited for his foresight and preparedness to contribute to the lifting of basketball in Nigeria.

Coach Andrew Isokpehi of Sunshine Angels basketball club who once coached Engr. Babalola at the Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA thump-up First Deepwater Discovery Limited for a job well-done.

He is particularly thrilled by the announcement of sponsoring a tournament in his Alma-Mata (FUTA).

The national U-18 women head coach called all and sundry to rally round First Deepwater Discovery Limited in contributing to the development of the game in the country.

The one-time coach of Ebun Comets basketball club also called on corporate organization to emulate the gesture of First Deepwater Discovery Limited by sponsoring competition which according to him will be good for the over-all wellbeing of the game.

Coach Isaq Yahaya of Niger Potters basketball club, Minna was elated by the type of treatment his team and others teams got in the 3-Day tournament.

“Honestly, I don’t think these teams have gotten this type of red-carpet treatment that First Deepwater Discovery Limited sponsor of Battle for Supremacy tournament which we eventually won.

“I think all the teams that took part in the tournament are winners, because it is unprecedented that sponsor would dole out such amount as appearance fee and still went ahead to give feeding allowance to each of the twelve accredited players and two officials.

“The teams that come from up north (Potters and Kano Pillars) were flown to Lagos and received at the airport by officials of the sponsoring company and members of the organizing committee including the media.

“I want to say a big and loud that you to the sponsor for doing that much for basketball when all hopes seems lost as regard getting corporate bodies to sponsor any tournament and I also want to ask all stakeholders to give their full support to First Deepwater Discovery Limited especially the Managing Director who was up-and-doing during the tournament, he even participated in free throws contest, this is commendable.

Coach Sani Ahmed, head coach of Kano Pillars basketball club and assistant coach of Nigeria senior men national team says with people like Engr. Babalola and company such as First Deepwater Discovery Limited domestic basketball in Nigeria is forward looking again.

Coach Sani who recounted the late eighties to early 2000 when players and coaches have something to look forward to but agreed that the Battle for Supremacy tournament was far beyond the imagination of all actors of the game.

“In all my years in basketball in Nigeria I have never witnessed such treatment where players are treated like kings, the fact that both Pillars and Niger Potters were flown to Lagos by the sponsor accommodated and given feeding allowance is more that winning the tournament.

“I must commend this young and energetic man, I mean the Managing Director of First Deepwater Discovery Limited has surpassed what we have seen in basketball sponsorship till date and I want to urge him to continue the good work.