Page 23 - ARUBA TODAY

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SPORTS Friday 30 November 2018
NBA making a 'long-term play' in Africa

By KEN MAGUIRE It will involve co-operation
Associated Press from FIBA and existing pro-
SALY, Senegal (AP) — Timo- fessional leagues, he said.
thy Ighoefe is an intimidat- "We're trying to find a way
ing defender at 6-foot-11 to do it quickly, to be able
and 245 pounds. Still, the to work with some of those
Nigerian knows he must im- leagues, to work with our
prove if his decision to play partner FIBA, to get some-
basketball instead of soc- thing up and running soon-
cer is going to pay off and er rather than later," Tatum
take him to the NBA. said.
The 18-year-old Ighoefe Africa lacks good infra-
has committed to play for structure, but Tatum cited
Patrick Ewing at George- the new Dakar Arena, as
town University next sea- well as Rwanda's plan for
son, only three years after a new facility, as incentive
switching to basketball in for the NBA to bring games
his hometown of Lagos. here. He called the Dakar
"I need to work on my Arena a "world-class facili-
speed, running down the ty" but wouldn't confirm the
floor baseline to baseline," Senegalese sports minister's
Ighoefe said this week at announcement moments
the unveiling of a new earlier that it would host the
training facility at the NBA's NBA exhibition game next
African academy in Sen- year.South Africa hosted
egal. "My left hand, I need the first three NBA Africa
to improve, to finish with my exhibitions but West African
left hand." countries like Senegal and
In other words, there's po- Nigeria appear more ea-
tential but it's a work in ger to embrace basketball.
progress — just like Africa In this Aug. 7, 2010 file photo, soccer and basketball games overlap as boys share space on a Soccer is by far the most
itself for the NBA. basketball court local residents say was built several years ago by Charlotte Bobcats' Dasagana popular sport in Africa. The
Diop in the neighborhood where he grew up in Dakar, Senegal.
"It's a continent with over Associated Press likes of Liverpool and Bar-
a billion people, with a celona boast fan clubs all
fast-growing economy, training center, built on the features fulltime schooling vice president and manag- over the continent, and the
fast-growing young urban campus of a soccer acad- and training. It can accom- ing director for Africa, said European start times make
population. That's a good emy in a coastal resort modate 24 boys selected the NBA is building from it easier to watch live.
recipe for the NBA long town 45 miles south of the from English- and French- the grassroots, like the Jr. Ighoefe catches highlights
term," said NBA deputy Senegalese capital Dakar. speaking African countries. NBA programs expanding of his favorite player, Joel
commissioner Mark Tatum, Saly, a former Portuguese The NBA holds camps for across the continent. Embiid of the Philadelphia
also in Senegal for the train- trading post, is now a get- elite African girls, but there's "We are only scratching the 76ers, on the mornings af-
ing facility opening. away spot for Dakar's up- no center for them yet. surface," said Fall, a Sen- ter games. He watches on
The NBA has big plans for per class and is home to "All you have to do here egal native who founded YouTube and follows the
Africa. An office was estab- many French people. is just focus on basketball the nearby SEED Acad- Cameroonian star on Insta-
lished eight years ago in The two parquet courts and school," Ighoefe said. emy, which works closely gram.
South Africa. There's an an- were imported from the "You don't have to be wor- with the NBA's African op- African kids can play soc-
nual exhibition game fea- United States. Simply being ried about anything else. In eration. "We are empower- cer with just a ball and any
turing NBA stars. indoors and with air condi- Lagos, it's different. There ing young people through bit of space, even a street.
Now, the NBA's top brass tioning probably makes it are a lot of distractions." basketball and in the pro- But finding a basketball
says Africa is ready for the best basketball facility The teenage boys begin cess elite talent is going court, even just a cement
more. Tatum said they're in Senegal. A fabric, tent- their days with a light work- come out and get into the half-court and a rim, is hard.
creating a pan-African like covering is stitched out at 5:30 a.m. Then it's NBA, and also feed other Ibrahima Ndiaye, direc-
league that will involve together over steel truss- breakfast, school, lunch, leagues across the world, tor of Flying Star academy
existing professional clubs, es, and repurposed ship- school, gym. They're and our future league on in Dakar, which has pro-
and that NBA pre-season ping containers facing the coached by former NBA the continent."This season duced several NCAA Divi-
and regular-season games courts are used for weight and NCAA players and began with 13 African-born sion 1 players, said the NBA
will be held on the conti- training. have traveled to Austra- players on NBA rosters. can dramatically increase
nent "in the next couple of The academy is one of sev- lia, Europe and the United Tatum said details of the youth participation by
years." en around the world, with States for tournaments. pan-African league will be building courts — a lot of
Another step is the new three of them in China. It Amadou Gallo Fall, NBA announced within months. them.q
Olympic figure skating champion Hanyu to miss to GP Final

Associated Press Federation said Thursday. nal in Vancouver, Canada. Hanyu won the Grand Prix The GP Final features the
TOKYO (AP) — Two-time The 23-year-old Hanyu Hanyu's withdrawal means Final four consecutive times top six skaters from the In-
Olympic champion Yuzuru twisted his right ankle dur- Shoma Uno will be the lone between 2013 and 2016. ternational Skating Union's
Hanyu of Japan will miss the ing a practice at the Ros- Japanese male taking part. He was aiming to become Grand Prix series. Hanyu
Grand Prix of Figure Skating telecom Cup on Nov. 17, In addition to winning back- the first skater, male or fe- qualified by winning the
Final due to a right ankle and will be unable to com- to-back Olympic golds male, to win five GP titles Grand Prix of Helsinki and
injury, the Japan Skating pete in the Dec. 6-8 GP Fi- and world championships, overall. the Rostelecom Cup.q