The Rising Stars Basketball Club on Friday won the 5th edition of the Ibadan Showtyme Summer Basketball Competition by defeating the defending champions, University of Ibadan (UI) Basketball Club.

The new champion closely defeated UI, the 4^th edition champions, by 38–36 points to claim the title.

The two-day competition, held at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Ibadan, attracted over 120 athletes from 10 basketball teams.

The teams were made up of eight male teams and two female teams.

In the female category, Showtyme Angels Basketball Club defeated Rising Stars Angels 14 – 9 to emerge winner of the tournament.

The convener of the competition, Shoola Durojaiye, said the tournament aimed at discovering and nurturing upcoming talents.

Mr Durojaiye, a board member of the Oyo State Basketball Association, urged the athletes to take advantage of the tournament to improve their skills.

He said, “Tournaments like this build confidence, and it’s a great avenue to showcase their talents. It is a golden opportunity because in the Western world, sports is big business. Over there, parents pay a lot of money for their kids to learn basketball, but we are having it here almost for free. The impact of this tournament over the years has been amazing, and it is evident in the rapid development of basketball in Oyo State. The feedback from parents, fans, coaches and players has shown that the annual event is making an impact.’’

The ex-player, however, urged the current players and aspiring ones not to look for shortcut to greatness.

“The more you train, the better you get. You should keep grinding and take full advantage of tournaments like this to showcase your talents,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Head Coach of the Oyo State Basketball Team, Taye Sobogun, reiterated that the tournament had, over the years, contributed to the discovery of talents in the grassroots.

He added that significant numbers of athletes discovered through the tournament now play at the national level and globally.

The cash prize for the tournament is one million naira; N600,000 for the male winner and N400,000 for the female winner.

Consolatory prizes were also given to winners of other contests.

Participants in the tournament include Showtyme Hoopers, Liberty Spears, Rising Stars, Showtyme Angels, and The Polytechnic Ibadan. Others are the University of Ibadan, Trust the Process Hoops, Ollysan, and the Yellow Tiger Basketball Club from the Nigerian Army, 2 Division, Ibadan.

The tournament also featured the unveiling of Showtyme Basketball Academy, Ibadan.

(NAN)