LAGOS – Coach Ogor Odaudu of Royal Hoopers club on Saturday in Lagos said his team abandoned their first match of the DStv Men’s Basketball League to fight for their wages.
The Port Harcourt-based Royal Hoopers on Friday did not turn up for their match against hosts Dodan Warriors of Lagos and were consequently walked over in the fixture.
Odaudu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the team had suffered terribly in the hands of the Rivers Government which has denied them their wages for almost two years.
“We have been pushing hard for this for long now. It has been the same case ever since, and we are not happy about how the state government is treating us.
“We have done well in the league and everyone knows that Hoopers are a force to reckon with in basketball in Nigeria.
“We are twice champions of the DStv league in the last five seasons and are always ready to compete with any club in the Savannah or the Atlantic Conference.
“But without proper financial assistance by the state government, how do we function properly as a club as regards travelling outside Port-Harcourt to fulfill our necessary obligations?’’ Odaudu said.
NAN reports that Hoopers’ opponents, Dodan Warriors, were awarded two points and a 20-0 scoreline as winners of the match.
However, in his reaction, coach Chris Nomigo of Dodan Warriors said he was not happy about the situation because his boys had trained hard to face their opponents.
“We were prepared for this match but to hear that our opponents had refused to come was a shocking revelation.
“We hope they will fix whatever problem they have, because they are one of the best teams in the conference and give any opposition side a good game to play.
“However, the points earned (today) are good enough. We will go with it and prepare for our next game, hoping that our next opponents turns up,’’ Nomigo said.(NAN)
