By JACOB AJOM
The DSTV Final 8 Basketball League dunks off today at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos with last year’s runners up Royal Hoopers from Port Harcourt taking on Yelwa Hawks in the opening match, beginning 10.00 am.

The Local Organising Committee, headed by chairman of the Lagos State Basketball Association, Babs Ogunmade said all arrangements have been made to ensure participating teams and the fans have a memorable championships.

Speaking at the pre-championship press briefing Monday in Lagos, Ogunmade said there will be four matches today starting with the Hoopers/Hawks encounter.

The Lagos Basketball Association boss informed that spectators will be treated to free meals and drinks, courtesy Honeywell and Power Horse who have identified with the championship.

In a chat with chief coach of the Royal Hoopers, Ogo Dawodu, he said before their departure from Port Harcourt to Lagos, he and his players had resolved to target a continental ticket as their priority.

“Our objective is to win a ticket to the continent,” he said, emphasising, “once we get to the final, we will be happy.”

The coach who is an ex-Nigeria international told Vanguard Sports that as a coach, he had lost in the two previous finals to Kano Pillars. “My mission this time is to ensure we are not knocked out again in the final. As coach of Lagos Islanders I lost in the final to Pillars in 2009 and in 2010 while with Royal Hoopers, I lost again in the final to Kano Pillars.

We want to avoid that this time round. Enough is enough.”

Other matches billed for today are Kada Stars taking on Comets, Pillars versus Dodan Warriors while Union Bank of Lagos host Bauchi Nets later in the evening.

The tournament ends on the 26th.