Royal Woopers of Rivers State lost to Union Bank of Lagos by 63-68 in the Nigeria league at Port Harcourt on the 28th of March, 2014.
Royal Woopers despite the spirited effort put in to the game lost to the more tactically; mentally strong union Bank of Lagos.
Royal Woopers have won the league back to back when the going was smooth and nice, where the club has no financial problem before the Rivers State government bought over the club.
It would be recalled that Royal Woopers had not been paid their salaries for good two years by the Rivers State government, the club sponsor.
The Newswriter Sports Desk can report authoritatively that Royal Woopers performance is on the decline courtesy of playing on empty stomach.
We gathered reliably that the bulk of the club main players have left the club.
Infact, the key players of Union bank who came to Port Harcourt to deal with Royal Woopers are players that left Royal Woopers to join Union Bank of Lagos.
Royal Woopers played that match without the original Royal Woopers. Again, the players that played that match have not trained together because of no fund to take care of logistic issue of the players that honoured that match, we learnt they were players waiting to be integrated into the game of basketball since the main players have all left the club.
Our investigation also revealed that Royal Woopers have seven (7) Bachelor of Science degree holders who have taken basketball as a career.
There is a player from Benue State, a very reliable the player who begs transport fare back to where he is squatting while playing for the Rivers State owned and sponsored Royal Woopers.
From investigation, the player lost his mother last year; it was by the grace of begging from those who appreciate his game that enable him to get to his home town to bury his mother. The Rivers State government apart from owning him did not support him or assisted him to bury his mother, in any way.
At the venue of the basketball court, after finishing the game, though they lost, the players were hanging around begging for transport fare to get to their abode.
This is an embarrassment to Rivers State government; it is high time, the state government wake up from it slumber to take care of its responsibility.
Speaking to The Newswriter Sports Desk, coach of Union Bank of Lagos, coach Ayinla Johnson said his boys were burning with desire and hunger to win hence they played out their hearts while also taking advantage of sorrow pitiable situation of Rivers State government, not paying Royal Woopers for two years.
However, he felt for Royal Woopers, also admitting that Royal Woopers have lost some of their key players. He advised the players to show more commitment and desire on the road to listen to their coaches with that they might keep their heads up in the league.
The general manager of Royal Woopers, Ozaka Ifie lamented his club plight while urging the Rivers State government to tell him why Royal Woopers should be abandoned. ###
