Skip to main content

Sierra Leone's Basketball Stars Pay Courtesy Visit to SLBF President

By: Joseph Adeshyllon Mansaray 


Two young Sierra Leonean athletes, Paul Foday Marah and Augustine Moses Kpaka, recently returned from an impactful experience at the FIBA Africa Basketball Camp in Douala, Cameroon, which took place from October 14-17, 2024. 

Sponsored by scholarships through a growing relationship between the Sierra Leone Basketball Federation (SLBF) and FIBA Africa,Paul Foday Marrah and Augustine Moses Kpaka, known as “Wakanda,” paid a courtesy call to Sierra Leone Basketball Federation (SLBF) President Ali Hijazi. During their visit, the two players shared their experiences from the camp, expressing their gratitude for the skills and knowledge they gained through the prestigious FIBA initiative.

The camp, organized annually by FIBA, provided Marrah and Kpaka with advanced training and exposure to a high level of basketball competition, helping them sharpen their abilities alongside other young players from across Africa.

President Hijazi congratulated the duo on representing Sierra Leone proudly and encouraged them to apply what they had learned. 

He urged the players to “show the difference” on the court, reminding them to double up their efforts in training to continue their growth. “You now have the tools and experience from the camp, use them to make a real impact in our upcoming games,” he told the players.

He further assured Marrah and Kpaka that the SLBF is in the final stages of preparation to launch the National Basketball League in December. 

This league will be a platform for them to showcase their newfound skills and inspire other young athletes across Sierra Leone.

With such promising talent and leadership, Sierra Leone basketball looks set for a transformative year ahead.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Senegal, first African team to beat England, but not first to score three goals

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson Claim: Soccer World HQ, in a Facebook post , claimed that Senegal is the first African team to beat England and the first to score three goals against them. Verdict: Partly True! Senegal is the first African team to beat England, but not the first to score three goals against them. Full Text The England senior men’s national football team, nicknamed the “Three Lions,” played their first match against Scotland in 1872. That match ended goalless but marked the beginning of an intense soccer rivalry between both nations, dubbed the “Auld Enemy.” Since 1872-2025, the England national team has achieved its 1000-game milestone in November 2019 when they played Montenegro at the Wembley Stadium. England's all-time head-to-head record shows that they’ve played a whopping 1072 matches against 100 countries, won 615 games, drew 255, and lost 200. Senegal, on the other hand, is one of Africa’s most famous football nations, nicknamed the “Lions of Teranga.” In 2002, ...

Makeni Medical Mission Brings Hope and Healing to Bombali District

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson Residents of the Asker Amputee Camp in Makeni City, including various war victims, are rejoicing over the inauguration of the Makeni Medical Mission health facility, established by philanthropist, author, and pastor Mr. Bambay Sawaneh, alongside his partners in the United States. This newly launched medical facility, comprising 11 treatment rooms, was developed with the support of Southeastern Medical International (SMI) and the Concord Christian Church. Their mission is to deliver compassionate healthcare and a range of medical services to the people of Bombali District and surrounding areas, with a particular focus on war victims and vulnerable families living in the Asker Amputee Camp at Robureh. At the official opening ceremony in Makeni city, a team of 10 medical missionaries from Southeastern Medical International, including Sheila Yates, a seasoned medical missionary with two decades of experience in the US, provided free medical care to 100 individuals,...

Sierra Leone, Two other Nations disqualified from AFCON 2024 U17 Qualifiers

By: Abdulrahman Barrie The U17 football teams from Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Guinea Bissau have been disqualified from the 2024 U17 African Cup of Nations competition in Senegal after failing the mandatory MRI test scans. These scans, which determine the age of the players, revealed discrepancies that led to their removal from the tournament. The disqualification follows changes to Article 27.4 of the U17 Africa Cup of Nations regulations, which have tightened the criteria and enforcement of age verification measures. The updated rules stipulate that if a team has more than four players deemed ineligible after the MRI eligibility test, the entire team will be disqualified. The MRI tests, used to enforce age restrictions in youth competitions, are crucial for ensuring fairness. Unfortunately, the teams from these three nations did not meet the age criteria, resulting in their disqualification. This decision has come as a significant disappointment for the young players and their fans, w...