The Initiator of Mark ‘D’ Ball Basketball Championship, Igoche Mark, has urged basketball stakeholders to embrace 2024 with renewed hope and face the year with determination.

Mr Mark’s advice was contained in his new year’s message issued by Director of Media, Kingsley Aigbonoga, Mark D’Ball Basketball Championship, on Sunday in Abuja.

“As we bid farewell to an eventful year and step into a new chapter, let us embrace the new year with renewed hope and unwavering determination. As members of this incredible basketball family, we have faced our fair share of hurdles, disappointments, and setbacks.

“But remember, it is during these trying times that our true strength lies. It is through the darkest of nights that the brightest stars emerge,” he said.

He urged stakeholders to unite their hearts and minds as they eagerly embrace the promises that 2024 holds for the game.

“Close your eyes for a moment, and visualize a future where we stand tall as a force to be reckoned with on the international basketball stage. The time has come to cast aside the shadows of the past and embark on a journey towards a brighter tomorrow. Dare to dream, dear basketball family, for dreams can weave miracles into reality.

“Together, let us forge ahead into the new year, armed with indomitable spirit, unwavering dedication, and an unbreakable bond that defines our basketball family. Let us support one another, applaud each other’s achievements, and lend a helping hand when someone stumbles,” he said.

Mr Mark, who reaffirmed his commitment towards the development of basketball, said that the new year signalled a new dawn of a positive turning point for the game.

“In this new year, let us reaffirm our commitment to the sport we love with every beat of our hearts. Let us nurture the young talents that lie in wait, providing them with guidance, encouragement, and the platform to shine. Believe in the power of our basketball family, dear friends. Believe that we have what it takes to soar to new heights, to defy all odds, and to emerge victorious. Together, let us raise our heads high, brush off the dust of the past, and embrace the future with open arms,” he said.

He said that 2024 promises to be the dawn of a new era, a chapter where the country’s basketball legacy shall flourish like never before.

He also wished all basketball stakeholders a year brimming with hope, growth and joy. “May the courts be our canvas and may the game forever unite us,” he added.

(NAN)