“Enough is enough,” stated Mr. Igoche Mark, Basketball Promoter and Founder of the Mark D’ Ball Basketball Championship, following the D’Tigers’ elimination from the 2025 Men’s Afrobasket Championship after a 91-75 defeat to Senegal, a team that has proven to be a formidable opponent for Nigeria in recent times.
In his remarks after the quarter-final loss at the Pavilhão Multiusos Arena in Luanda, Angola, Mr. Mark expressed his concerns regarding the lack of seriousness and technical expertise among those responsible for the administration of basketball in Nigeria.
“I have observed from the sidelines the mismanagement of a sport that has given us so much, one that teaches discipline, perseverance, and strategic thinking. It is disheartening to witness its decline while we feel like mere spectators in this process or sometime we are tagged ‘bystanders.’
“Regrettably, we are approaching a decade without a functional basketball league, which is forcing many of our players to retire prematurely, while others are compelled to accept unfavourable contracts in neighbouring countries. This situation is unacceptable in 2025, a time when basketball should be thriving as the premier sport.
“If the National Sports Commission is genuinely committed to developing a sustainable sporting economy, it must ensure that those who cannot handle the responsibilities of leadership step aside. It is time to stop the blame game directed at coaches and players. Enough is enough,” Mark stated.
