Young basketball players from across The Gambia gathered at the Africell KMC Park in Banjul on 9 and 10 May for the Africell x NBA 3×3 Tournament, a competition organised through the partnership between Africell and NBA Africa to promote youth development and grow the sport of basketball in the country.
The two-day tournament brought together 15 male and female teams competing for cash prizes and the opportunity to showcase their talent in front of NBA Africa representatives and local basketball officials.
After a series of competitive matches, Serrekunda West emerged as champions in the men’s category, followed by Kotu Blue Ninjas in second place and Lamin Skylanders in third. In the women’s competition, Hope Serrekunda East claimed the top prize, while YMCA and Banjul United finished second and third respectively.
Winning teams were awarded cash prizes of 35,000 GMD for first place, 25,000 GMD for second and 15,000 GMD for third. Individual brilliance was also recognized, with Oumie Keita named the female Most Valuable Player and Kebba Faal taking the male MVP title. Both players received 10,000 GMD each for their outstanding performances.
The tournament forms part of the growing collaboration between Africell and NBA Africa, first launched in Angola in 2022 before expanding to the Democratic Republic of Congo, The Gambia and Sierra Leone in 2026. The initiative aims to nurture a new generation’s passion for basketball through a wide-ranging program that includes Jr. NBA leagues, basketball clinics and 3-on-3 tournaments.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Hussein Diab Ghanem explained the reasoning behind the partnership between the telecommunications company and the global basketball organization.
“The NBA has lots of values that it shares with Africell, some of them are youth empowerment, discipline, team work, leadership, and creating opportunities for the next generation,” he said.
Diab Ghanem emphasized that Africell thrives on bringing about life-changing possibilities.
“Africell brings connectivity to communities, but we also make a point of connecting those communities to opportunities. Whoever thought that representatives from an organization so big and prestigious like the NBA would one day come and visit us here, in the small smiling coast of The Gambia?” he remarked.
Joel Yoba, NBA Africa Director of Basketball Camps and Strategic Projects, highlighted the broader impact of the initiative on youth development across the continent.
“It is an excellent opportunity for both organizations to not only grow the game of basketball but also provide the opportunity for youths to be empowered, and showcase their talents on the court,” Yoba said.
He further revealed that the tournament would serve as a scouting platform for basketball camps hosted by NBA Africa both on the continent and internationally, opening the door for talented Gambian players to gain international exposure.
The President of the Gambian Basketball Association, Ndongo Camara, urged players to treat the tournament as a serious opportunity for advancement.
“This is not an exhibition program; it’s a serious program. We’ve been working for years to have this kind of program come to our doorstep and now that it’s here, let’s take it seriously and make sure they come back to this country,” Camara told participants.
For Africell, the tournament represented another important step in the company’s long-term commitment to reviving basketball in the country.
“Africell had a dream, the dream was to reignite the flame of basketball back in The Gambia,” said Diab Ghanem. “We started first by making a commitment to bring back basketball into communities, we started by bringing a few parks, by organizing events around basketball events, by supporting tournaments, youth games, and even trying to encourage basketball amongst the young females of our country.”
He concluded by expressing hope that initiatives like the Africell x NBA partnership would help place more Gambian players on the international basketball map, creating opportunities for global scouts to discover local talent in the same way they do in football.