The Street Basketball Association (SBA) and Vandyke Sportscom Limited (VANDYKESPORT) have jointly announced a strategic partnership aimed at promoting and developing basketball throughout the African Continent. To this end, a press conference is scheduled in Nigeria for the President/CEO of Street Basketball Association LLC, Mr Jerrod Mustaf, who will also be accompanied by SBA Street Ball All-Star, Patrick “Pat Da-Roc” Robinson.
This release was signed by SBA President Jerrod Mustaf and VANDYKESPORT CEO Emeka Enyadike. The SBA has previously toured the Gambia as a guest of H.E. Alhaji Dr. Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh recently where Mr Mustaf was conferred with the National honour of Officer of the National Order of the Republic of The Gambia. He was accompanied by a 40-person delegation, by which members of the SBA staff are currently training the Gambian national teams and developing the country’s national basketball league.
The SBA/VANDYKESPORT team will next visit Guinea-Bissau and South Africa on this Missionary train. While in Africa, the team will conduct clinics for Players, Coaches, Officials and Media on the latest trends in American Street Ball development now spearheaded by VANDYKESPORT in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt as well as participate in the launch of the Vmobile Street Ball Series. VANDYKESPORT has long been associated with Street Ball development in Africa and the Middle East especially the highly successful ADIDAS STREETBALL CHALLENGE.
They will also pay courtesy calls on the Honourable Sports Minister, Alhaji Samaila Sambawa, Nigeria Basketball Federation President Jacob Gyang Buba, US Ambassador John Campbell, some state Governors and will hold discussions with the President and Members of the NBBF, its marketing consultants Deportivo Vandyke International Limited and club owners on ways of supporting the growth of the game.
The team will also visit all the major sponsors of Basketball in Nigeria namely; Nestle Milo, Vmobile, Zenith Bank, Indomie, Sprite, Union Bank, First Bank etc and numerous media houses.
It is hoped that the visit will reinforce the strides being witnessed in the game in Nigeria and lead to several levels of technical assistance for the game. The SBA will also consult and help develop the Vmobile Premier Basketball League and SBA Affiliate Street Basketball Leagues in Nigeria, South Africa and throughout Africa.
According to Mr Mustaf, “Nigeria has always had the potential for greatness and we see this alliance with VANDYKESPORT as strategic to the long term advancement of the game of basketball and the overall development of youth in Nigeria. We will support the Nigeria Basketball Federation and all lovers and stakeholders alike.”
In his remarks, Emeka Enyadike believes “the game can only truly evolve when a conscious effort is made to take the game to the community. We can only learn from the expertise of the SBA”.
