The Federal University of Technology, Minna basketball team has painted the on-going Nigerian Universities Games (NUGA) red with their mesmerising skills and dexterity. The coach Abubakar Aliyu-tutored team have dominated the basketball event with an impeccable record of six wins from six matches and have been tipped by pundits to clinch the gold medal.
The team defeated the host university's team 55-51 in a keenly contested opener and continued their dominance with an emphatic 45-14 win over Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State. This was followed up with a 62- 34 win over University of Jos team boasting some dexterous hands while University of Ibadan fell 52-23.The team went on to trounce Benson Idahosa University 62-26 and out-dunked Niger Delta University 34-27 to complete their superlative unbeaten run in the group stage. The team lost 37-32 to University of Lagos in the semi final and defeated Obafemi Awolowo University OAU 51/40 to clinch another bronze medal for Team FUTMINNA.
As at press time, Team FUTMINNA has won five bronze medals in three different sports. The institution’s first medal was won by Ibrahim Saidu Aisha, a 400 level student of Science Education in Taekwondo (Heavy weight category) while Urenna Obioma (500 SVG dept) and Loveth Agu (500 level Animal Production dept) also won bronze in Badminton mixed doubles. Sekina Teniola Bello (a 400 level Chemistry dept student) clinched the team's third bronze medal in taekwondo (Bantam category).
It would be recalled that Team FUTMinna departed Minna, Niger State for the 24th NUGA, holding at the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State on Wednesday, February 12, 2014.
The Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Musbau Adewumi Akanji, FNSBMB was on ground to bid the athletes and officials farewell. In his speech, Prof. Akanji urged the athletes to be good ambassadors of the institution by obeying the rules and regulations of the Games and making the university proud at the event.
