16 teams advance to knockout stage of 2026 ABA League in Abuja
After a week of intense competition involving 40 basketball academies, 16 teams have secured their places in the knockout stage of the ongoing 2026 Amateur Basketball Academies (ABA) League in Abuja.
Eight boys’ teams and eight girls’ teams emerged from the group stages at the Package B Basketball Courts of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, setting up an exciting quarter-final showdown.
In the boys’ Group A, Oneball Boys finished top with 21 points from 10 victories in 11 matches. TNT Boys also recorded 21 points after winning 10 games, while Love Boys and Suleja Bulldogs completed the top four.
Full Force Boys emerged as leaders in Group B, followed by Eco Titans, Queens Court Boys and Dominion.
In the girls’ competition, Oneball Girls topped Group A, with TNT, Love and Suleja also advancing. Queens Court Girls led Group B, alongside Dominion, Smarth and Plastic.
Action will resume on Monday after a two-day break, with the quarter-finals expected to provide another round of highly competitive encounters.
In the boys’ quarter-finals, Suleja Bulldogs will take on Gillalli Academy at Court 1, while Full Force Boys face Dominion at Court 2. TNT Boys will battle Gwarimpa Hawks at Court 3, while Eco Titans meet Queens Court Boys in the final boys’ quarter-final.
The girls’ quarter-finals will see Smarth Academy take on Dominion at Court 2, while Queens Academy face Plastic Academy at Court 1. Oneball Girls will battle Suleja Divers at Court 3, with TNT Girls and Love Academy meeting in another eagerly anticipated clash.
ABA Head of Technical Officials, Coach Adeka Daudu, expressed satisfaction with the quality of the competition, saying the league had unearthed several promising talents and exceeded expectations.
Daudu also commended the players and coaches for their discipline and exemplary conduct throughout the week-long event, while calling on basketball enthusiasts and residents of Abuja to turn out in numbers to support the young athletes as they showcase their skills, energy, determination and competitive spirit.
President and Founder of Amateur Basketball Academies, DC Aliyu Lucky Abubakar, also praised the participating academies, stressing that talent alone is not enough to guarantee success.
According to Abubakar, young talents must be identified early, properly guided, progressively developed and exposed to the right competitive environment to reach their full potential.
He expressed confidence that the success of the 2026 ABA League would motivate the organisation to expand its programmes and create even greater opportunities for young basketball players in the future.
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