Basketball Africa League upgrades court in Owerri to support local basketball

The Basketball Africa League has fixed up a court in Owerri, Imo State. This is part of a plan to upgrade six courts across Nigeria, Senegal, and Ivory Coast to help grassroots basketball.

The Owerri court will be launched in December with support from Qatar Foundation. This will be the second BAL4HER court in Africa. Chiney Ogwumike, a two-time WNBA All-Star and BAL ambassador, will help with the launch through her nonprofit, Queens of the Continent.

Currently, the court serves over 300 players in Imo State. The upgrades will include new changing rooms and bathrooms, better lighting, and improved drainage. This will make it a better place for organized sports, youth development, and community activities.

This project is part of NBA Africa’s goal to build or renovate 1,000 courts across the continent in the next ten years.

“These newly refurbished courts show our commitment to investing in communities and making the game more accessible to young people across Africa,” said BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall.

Other courts are being upgraded in Senegal and Ivory Coast. The first two were opened in Saint-Louis, Senegal, on September 30, with Société des Pétroles du Sénégal, and in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on October 3, with Wave Ivory Coast.

Next, courts in Joal and Dakar, Senegal, were opened on October 7 and October 9, in partnership with Woodside Energy and Ville de Dakar. The first BAL4HER court in Africa, located in Guédiawaye, Senegal, will be opened on October 30 with Qatar Foundation.

Each court will have a new playing surface, seating for spectators, and new basketball hoops. Some locations will also get updated changing rooms, toilets, and lighting.

The Abidjan court is expected to serve around 3,000 players each week and will run a development program for 300 girls aged 18 and under.