Line-up of the BSU and UNIJOS teams ahead of the kickoff match
The University of Jos (UNIJOS) male basketball team opened their campaign at the 27th Nigerian University Games (NUGA) with an emphatic 81–51 win over Benue State University (BSU), despite facing accreditation delays and fielding only five players throughout the match.
The game, which marked UNIJOS’s first outing in the tournament, was played in four high-intensity quarters before an electrified crowd that roared with every basket scored by the home side.
Professor Tanko Ishaya, UNIJOS VC, addresses the male basketball team after their match at the 27th NUGA Games
Team captain, Henry Bakle, speaking to Campulse News after the game, attributed their victory to teamwork and determination. “We trusted each other. There is passion, there is talent — we pushed and gave our best, and God helped us. This win is the result of hard work and unity, even without substitutes,” he said.
However, BSU’s captain, Gbenda Sinclair, protested the outcome, alleging poor officiating and partiality by the referees. “We started strong, but the officiating affected our morale. The referee ignored several fouls committed by UNIJOS players. It was not a fair game,” he claimed, adding that his team, which has competed in national championships, would “regroup and come back stronger” in their next fixture.
In contrast, Muawiyya Musa, an official observer from Khalifa Isyaku Rabiu University, Kano, dismissed the allegations, insisting the officiating met standard procedures and the better team won.
The UNIJOS squad is expected to continue their campaign later this week as the basketball fixtures progress.
Leave feedback about this