The South-East Representative on the board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Ugo Udezue, will host a three-day South-East Basketball Tournament in Ebonyi State as part of efforts to promote grassroots sports development and youth empowerment in the region.

The tournament is scheduled to hold from June 5 to June 7 at the Ebonyi Shopping Mall in Abakaliki, with teams from the five South-East states — Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Anambra and Abia — expected to participate.

Speaking ahead of the event, Udezue, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of AFA Sports, said the initiative reflects a commitment to expanding basketball opportunities and investing in sports infrastructure across the region.

According to him, despite producing a significant number of talented basketball players, Ebonyi State lacked a functional basketball court for years.

“Ebonyi State had no viable basketball court in the entire state, yet it continues to produce many talented players. In fact, about half of the players in Coal City Blazers, the only Premier League basketball team in the South-East, are from Ebonyi,” he said.

Udezue stressed that sports development should not be left solely to government, noting that stakeholders must also contribute to creating opportunities for young athletes.

“We cannot continue to place the entire responsibility on government. Beyond providing an enabling environment, stakeholders must invest in sports infrastructure, especially in the South-East where football remains the dominant sport. We have supported development efforts by donating basketball uprights for the indoor stadium in Enugu and have now facilitated the construction of a new court in Abakaliki,” he added.

A major highlight of the tournament will be the commissioning of the Hon. Richard Idike Basketball Court, a facility facilitated by Udezue to support talent discovery and basketball development in the state.

The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Youth Development and Sports, Hon. Richard Idike, will attend the event as Special Guest of Honour and is expected to officially inaugurate the court during the tournament.

The competition is expected to attract basketball stakeholders, coaches, administrators and fans from across the South-East, providing a platform for competition, talent identification and the continued growth of basketball in the region.