ATU prevails over UG; Ghana thumps USA as Africa Basketball Festival lives up to billing

Three nights of thrilling action of basketball, music and fashion came to a close on Sunday, December 17, 2023, with the Accra Technical University pipping the University of Ghana in the ceremonial game while Ghana defended its title with a 48-33 win over the United States of America in the battle of nations.

From Friday, December 15, 2023 when the event kicked off with a colourful and well-attended launch, the Africa Basketball Festival lived up to its billing with audience and patrons enjoying a successful fusion of basketball, music and fashion.

The game between the University of Ghana and Accra Technical University lived up to its billing with players of the two tertiary institutions channelling their sense and energy of rivalry into a fiercely contested game.

At the end of the day, Accra Technical University who had been the louder of the two teams, walked the talk with a 28-27 victory over the University of Ghana.

In the six-nation tournament competed by Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Togo, USA and France, the Ghana team led by some members of the invincible Spintex Knights team who just won the Accra Basketball League made a successful defence of the title they won last year with a 15-point victory over the US who had just 33 points.

Established Ghanaian musicians Kobi Rana and Krymi sprinkled musical excitement on a night that had some young Ghanaian rappers engaging in battles to establish their lyrical dominance.

The slam dunk show which was one of the surprising elements of the finale served basketball lovers great entertainment from some ballers who demonstrated their admirable basketball skills.

The fashion element of the festival saw some of the country’s foremost fashion designers displaying their products with models of appealing looks.

The successful staging of the 2023 Africa Basketball Festival which is the biggest in the event’s history is a testament to the organizational abilities of Yaw Sakyi Afari and his team at RITE Sports who have consistently elevated the event and on course to position it as one of the biggest events of the Christmas period in Ghana.