How we arrived at the 4 invited teams - Charis Djin, Head of the Selection Committee, NBI
Charis Djin, head of the Selection Committee for the National Basketball Invitational
Mr Charis Djin, Head of the NBI Selection Committee provided insight on the considerations which led to the invitation of the four (4) teams competing in the 2023 basketball invitational. The National Basketball Invitational is the most anticipated basketball tournament of 2023. Four elite teams have been invited to participate in this year’s tournament. They will be competing for the GHS 20,000 prize money and other attractive player awards.
Speaking to the NBI Hooproom, Charis highlighted that there were some key considerations made when shortlisting the competing teams. These included the youthfulness of the players on these teams, the impact they are having in their communities, the opportunities being created by their leadership for it’s players and the general look and feel of the club’s branding.
He opined that those factors were essential for the growth of the game in Ghana. According to him, Coldstore and Knights have created travel opportunities for the players on their teams to play the game they love. This gives them the needed exposure necessary for the growth of their careers and encourages other clubs to do same. The Marines and Geekrons are “well-drilled, well-branded and youthful clubs”, he says. He went on to add, “We’ve given them an opportunity to compete against two of the top teams in in Ghana for a shot at the prize money. When it comes to the game of basketball, you can never sleep on a well-coached and motivated side”.
When asked who was likely to make the cut for next years tournament, he said “the clubs that show discipline, have a structured leadership, do things that impact their communities and grow the game in Ghana are always going to be considered”.
“The basketball scene in Ghana is changing, there’s a lot of liquidity and purpose now. Team owners are eyeing international tournaments and are willing to invest the needed resources to achieve that. But we all need to look beyond winning basketball games. Perhaps a lot more focus on community support, impact and people connections. As sports administrators we need to encourage them with tournaments like the National Basketball Invitational”. - Charis Djin
The creation of opportunities, youthfulness and structure seemed to be the running theme in our conversation. We all can’t wait to see how their selection translates to exciting games on the 22nd & 23rd December 2023. It will be an unforgettable maiden edition!
