From the basketball courts of Plateau State to the national stage, Abubarkar Enyo and Harrison Attah are beginning to announce themselves as part of Nigeria’s next generation of basketball talent. The two Plateau Peaks Basketball Club players have earned invitations to the Nigeria Under-18 Boys National Team Pre-Selection Camp ahead of the country’s upcoming FIBA U-18 competitions — a development many within Plateau’s basketball community are already describing as another major step forward for the sport in the state.
More than just a personal achievement for the young players, the call-up represents a growing recognition of the work being done within Plateau basketball, particularly in youth development and grassroots talent identification.
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Plateau Basketball Back on the National Radar
According to a statement released by the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) and signed by the Chairman of the federation’s Technical Committee, Babs Ogunade, the pre-selection camp will hold from June 24 to July 3, 2026, at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, Edo State.
The camp is part of Nigeria’s preparations for the FIBA Africa U-18 Zone Three Qualifiers in Burkina Faso, where the country will compete for qualification to the continental championship.
Players invited to the camp are expected to undergo technical assessments and intensive training sessions under the supervision of Coach Ikima Michael and his technical crew as the federation searches for the country’s brightest young basketball talents.
For Plateau State, however, the inclusion of Enyo and Attah means far more than just another national camp invitation. It is another sign that the state’s basketball structure is beginning to produce talents capable of competing at the highest levels nationally
A Reward for Hard Work and Development
For months, both players have continued to impress through their performances with Plateau Peaks Basketball Club — one of the emerging forces within Nigerian basketball development. Their rise has not happened by accident. Plateau Peaks have steadily built a reputation around youth development, discipline, and creating opportunities for young players to compete at elite levels.
Through participation in the NBBF Men’s Premier League and consistent investment in grassroots basketball, the club has increasingly become a
platform for nurturing future stars.
The invitation extended to Enyo and Attah is now being viewed as validation of that long-term vision.
In many ways, the moment also reflects the importance of structured basketball development in a state
filled with raw athletic talent.
For years, Plateau State has produced athletes across different sports, but basketball stakeholders have long argued that with better organisation, facilities, and exposure, the state could become one of Nigeria’s strongest basketball talent pipelines. Many now believe moments like this prove that possibility is becoming reality.
What This Means for Young Players in Plateau
Beyond the excitement surrounding the two players themselves, their call-up carries symbolic importance for hundreds of young basketballers across Plateau State.
For many teenagers playing on local courts in Jos and other parts of the state, opportunities to break into national structures can often feel distant. But the rise of players like Enyo and Attah sends a different message — that talent developed within Plateau can still attract national attention. It also reinforces the growing confidence within the local basketball ecosystem.
Under the leadership of the Plateau State Basketball Association Chairman, Dr. Chollom Paul Lomak, grassroots development has received renewed attention through the “Catch Them Young” initiative. The programme has focused on partnerships with academies, schools, clubs, coaches, and stakeholders
aimed at identifying and developing young talents early.
That broader ecosystem is now beginning to show visible results. For Plateau basketball enthusiasts, the latest national team invitations are not isolated successes. They are part of a wider story about rebuilding basketball structures within the state and creating pathways
capable of producing future national team players consistently
Nigeria’s Continental Preparations
As preparations continue for the continental championship, the Nigeria Basketball Federation will also organise a training camp and talent evaluation programme in Chicago, United States, from July 23 to 25, 2026, for eligible Nigerian players in the diaspora.
Following that phase, both home-based and diaspora players are expected to regroup in Côte d’Ivoire from July 27 to August 3, 2026, for a final preparation camp ahead of the FIBA U-18 AfroBasket Championship finals.
The federation hopes the process will help assemble a balanced and competitive squad capable of representing Nigeria strongly on the continental stage.
For Enyo and Attah, the immediate task will be to impress during the Benin City camp and fight for places in the final team.
Bigger Than Basketball
For Plateau Peaks Basketball Club, the call-up is another important milestone in the club’s growth and a powerful endorsement of its youth-focused philosophy.
And, for Plateau State, it represents something even bigger.
At a time when conversations around sports development increasingly focus on infrastructure, grassroots investment, and talent discovery, the emergence of players from Plateau into national conversations helps strengthen the argument that the state remains one of Nigeria’s richest untapped sporting regions.
However, for the next generation of young basketballers watching from local courts across Jos and beyond, the journey of Enyo and Attah offers something powerful: proof that the path from Plateau to the Nigerian national team is still possible.
The future of basketball in Plateau State may still be unfolding — but moments like this suggest that future is already taking shape
Also Read:https://basketball.afrobasket.com/team/Plateau-Peaks-Jos/1270