THE Accra Basketball League

8:56 AM Unknown 1 Comments

Once again Lebanon House was the place to be yesterday. A decent crowd showed up; a lot of fans and players of other teams that do not often show up to watch games. If you weren't there you missed quite a bit. Tema Youth had fans in t'shirts and flags running around and chanting traditional Ga war songs which brought back a lot of Inter-Co nostalgia. The event? Accra league's decider.

The game was a pretty one but no where close to the famous 2010 Thome Cabalan finals. After a bit of a rough start for both sides, TY had control of the game. Even with their biggest threat in Enoch Borsah out, they still gave the Braves team  good fight. The team on the floor kept the game going against an always aggressive Braves defense and won for the for the first three quarters until the absence of Enoch and Serge begun to hurt them in the fourth.

But I don't to do a game review! Who else knew about this wonderful game we had on our hands apart from the few fans who come back occasionally and players of other teams in the league. It sucks!! The Greater Accra Basketball Association organizers of the Greater Accra Basketball League perceives itself as the go to organization for all basketball activities in the region and their league as THE league to watch or play if you find yourself in Accra. It's sad.

A lot of people sacrifice a lot of things to be able to part of this Accra league. Players especially, majority of whom are students, workers or both. But the league seems not be bothered a lot about them; the people without whom there will be no league in the first place. As much as such people try their best to make it to games doesn't mean it's the most convenient thing for them. How on earth can a game be scheduled for 3pm on a Wednesday or Friday afternoon. That's still in the middle of some class, an office or workshop activity somewhere. The league is best suited for the security teams, most of whom have their players given official releases to play at whatever time. And which fan is going to leave work to watch a 3pm game on a Wednesday?

Personally I have lost a lot of the pizzazz I had for this league. Trust me unless there's a miracle, the future looks bleak. The league has no way whatsoever of appreciating its players; these same players who have to pay registration fees to play oooo(forgive my Ghanaian mannerism). Not a pin, medal or award of any kind is given to any player for any feat in this same league they sacrifice so much to be in. Cape Coast Hoops will have to mentioned again. These guys brought back a lot of excitement and what did they get form this league? Nothing! Their game against Braves at the cantonments courts on Friday May 28, 2010 was one of the most exciting the league has seen. These were just guys who loved the game and worked their butts off to get good just to play against the best team. But they are gone(many of the players have joined other teams though), with all their excitement because after a while a man gets tired of doing good stuff for nothing. Somebody needs to feed their family you know?

And then talk of the venues. This league has been played at the same two venues(in this big city of Accra with better courts) for like what? 20 years? Good God! There are other courts around that have the potential of pulling in a whole different group of fans who do not visit the traditional venues. Come to think of it Lebanon House is now a lost cause. To have cars and trucks drive across the court during a league game is enough to tell anybody to put their house in order. But that has not been the case. We seem to be satisfied with what we have going on, a rather sad situation.

The administration of this league needs to put its house in order otherwise in a few years the league might just disappear off the radar or morph into a security service league. But until then it remains THE Greater Accra Basketball League.


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