The newly elected players’ representative on the board of the Nigerian Basketball Federation, Professor Lucky Abubakar Aliyu, has predicted that basketball in the country will begin to improve and “come alive”.

Aliyu, a former basketball player, security expert and Assistant Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, spoke after winning the election at the Bentley Hotel in Abuja.

He promised that youth development, grassroots activities and efforts to restore the fortunes of Nigerian basketball would be a priority during the next four years.

Aliyu said the emergence of the new board offered stakeholders a fresh opportunity to rebuild the game, with emphasis on programmes for young players across the country.

“I am excited for the game of basketball. I am excited for these kids who are going to see us on board, and I assure you that the federation will have a wonderful board. We will have people who will love the game of basketball,” he said.

He added that the sport must be developed from the bottom up if the national team is to rise again.

“The game of basketball will come alive now. We need to develop from the grassroots so that the national team will come back. So do not worry, we have everything in stock for basketball,” Aliyu said.