Team Ogun on Saturday secured a hard-fought 65-57 victory over Team Delta to advance to the semi-finals of the basketball event at the ongoing National Sports Festival (NSF), tagged ‘Gateway Games 2024’.
The match, played in front of an enthusiastic home crowd, was filled with intensity and drama, as Ogun’s gritty performance proved too much for a skillful but visibly frustrated Delta side.
Read Also: NNL Chairman George Aluo Promises Really Exciting Super-8 In June
Speaking after the match, Team Ogun head coach, Babatunde Adelanwa, acknowledged the challenge posed by the Delta team but credited his side’s progress to resilience and divine support.
“It was a tough game, but I thank God for the victory,” Adelanwa said. “We lost our first game in the group stage, but we’ve continued to improve since then. Now we’re in the semi-final, and we’re staying focused on our goal — to win gold.”
However, the outcome did not sit well with Delta’s head coach, Godwin Peter, who criticized the officiating of the match, calling it “terrible” and biased towards the host team.
“There were one or two questionable calls that went against us,” Peter said. “Ogun played very physical basketball, but the referees weren’t calling it. I’m not saying they’re a bad team, but fair play is essential.”
Despite his disappointment, Peter commended the organizers for the quality of facilities provided for the competition and vowed that Delta would return stronger at the next edition of the festival in Enugu.
As the Gateway Games 2024 basketball tournament nears its final stages, attention now turns to Team Ogun, whose eyes are firmly set on clinching gold in front of their home supporters.
