Apo Raptors and Wuse Fever Emerge as Champions in Power Forward Basketball Tournament

The Apo Raptors from GSS Apo triumphed in the boys' division of this year's Power Forward basketball tournament, held at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja. The Wuse Fever team from GSS Zone 3 claimed the championship title in the girls' category.

During the tournament, which spanned from June to September, the Apo Raptors defeated GSS Zone 3 in the boys' final, while GSS Zone 3 overcame Total Child Model School in the girls' final.

This season's tournament featured 30 teams in the boys' category and 12 in the girls' category. The playoffs saw the top eight girls' teams and top 10 boys' teams competing, leading to the finals.

The finals included a Malaria Jeopardy Game and malaria testing stations outside the stadium. The tournament was part of the three-day celebration marking the 10th anniversary of the Power Forward programme, a youth development initiative launched in 2013. This programme focuses on life skills, public health awareness, malaria prevention, and basketball development, reaching over 250,000 youths in 40 schools in Abuja.

The event also included a Jr. NBA clinic for 1,200 children under 16 and an alumni summit attended by NBA and AfroBasket champions Festus Ezeli and Olumide Oyedeji.

Alvin Abraham, President of the ExxonMobil Foundation, highlighted the decade-long impact of their partnership with NBA Africa and PanAfricare through the Power Forward initiative. He emphasized the program's role in youth development, sports, life skills, and public health education, benefiting over 250,000 young Nigerians and empowering them with leadership skills for a brighter future in Nigeria. The 10th anniversary celebrates the continued commitment to positively impacting the Abuja community.