The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has decided to postpone all games in Groups C and D of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers’ second window supposedly scheduled for Monday, March 2.

In a statement issued on Sunday morning Manila time, the developments in the Middle East led to the decision to push back a total of eight matches.

Security concerns have grown over the region after the United States and Iran launched a major attack on Iran, causing various airspaces to close.

With this, the matches between Iran and Syria, Iraq and Jordan, Lebanon and India, and Qatar and Saudi Arabia have all been impacted.

The games will be played during the third window, scheduled from June 29 to July 27, and in the same locations they’re originally set at, according to FIBA.

“The aforementioned Group C and Group D games will take place at the same locations at the beginning of the third Qualification Window, set for late June,” FIBA said. “The updated schedule will be communicated at a later stage.”

Basketball’s governing body assured that it is in close communication with all the national federations involved to ensure the safety and welfare of all those.

“FIBA remains in close contact with the National Federations concerned and is taking necessary measures with respect to the safety and security of teams, officials, and staff involved in those games,” FIBA said.

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Basilan returned to the MPBL for the 2025 season.

With a new backer in Starhorse, led by Jackson Chua, Basilan made a splash by signing high-profile players, including Arwind Santos, Alex Cabagnot, Jervy Cruz, and Rabeh Al-Hussaini.

The team also boasted a strong coaching staff, led by Rich Alvarez and Rob Labagala.

The Starhorse-backed squad finished fourth in the South Division with a 29-18 record.

However, as the season progressed, allegations emerged that players and coaches had been left unpaid during the final months of the campaign. Demoralized, Basilan was eliminated in the quarterfinals by General Santos.

B-Steel Sports, the new management of the Basilan franchise, is familiar with the challenges the team faced last year.

“Regarding the status of the franchise before us, I’m not going to talk about them because I’m not allowed to speak for them. But this is a totally different management from last year,” Basilan executive director Matt David told Tiebreaker Times.

“We’re different from before, and now we’re returning because we saw an opening. As you know, there’s only one franchise allowed per province. So when we saw that opening, we decided to come back.”

B-Steel Sports previously managed Basilan during the 2019-20 season. That team advanced to the division finals but had to forfeit the deciding game against Davao Occidental due to COVID-19. The firm also secured a VisMin Super Cup title under Zamboanga Sibugay.

“With the renewed focus on sports, especially now with Steel Sports expanding from Basilan to Zamboanga to Manila, we want more franchises to take root. Especially with the success of Eumir Marcial being one of our athletes, we want a more holistic approach in terms of local representation in sports,” David continued.

“This is a total relaunch because it’s a completely different entity.”

Basilan will be led by Jvee Casio, with Eumir Marcial placed on the reserve list. Other key players include Gjerard Wilson, John Wilson, John Cantimbuhan, Ryan Costelo, Robin Roño, Jayson Grimaldo, Bobby Balucanag, and Tyrone Chan.

The team, coached by Arnold Oliveros, knows it faces a tough campaign, with powerhouses like Abra, San Juan, Caloocan, and Quezon already having a head start in signing top talent from the UAAP.

But the immediate goal is to erase the negative optics of the previous administration. Borrowing from the team’s original tagline, David vows to redefine Basilan.

“What we’re trying to do is reshape the image. We’re bringing back the tagline, Redefining Basilan. We first used it in 2019, and now in 2026, we’re using it again to redefine the image of the province as well as provincial sports.”

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Oluchi Okananwa was again the biggest shining light for Maryland University, as the Nigerian-born lass helped The Terps clinch yet another victory in USA’s National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) women’s basketball league.

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Sports247 reports that Okananwa struck 25 points to guide her squad to a sixth straight victory and a first-round bye in the Big Ten Tournament with a 79-57 win over Northwestern Wildcats.

Okananwa’s side are now sixth in the Big Ten standings and still in contention for a double-bye if they beat number eight placed Michigan on Sunday, while hoping that both Ohio State and Minnesota lose out.

Nonetheless, on a night when fellow-Nigerian-born star, Isi Ozzy-Momodu was sidelined for a second consecutive game with a lower-leg injury, Okananwa led The Terps’ charge with a performance that has become typical for her.

The highly-rated junior, who has been the driving force of Maryland’s success this season, hit 25 points on 11-of-20 shooting, once again leading in scoring and her team continues to stay hot heading into the home stretch.

Observers are now joking that The Terps will go as far as Okananwa leads them, as her 17.7 points per game this season have led them to a 23-6 record and the rest of the squad fed off her lead offensively.

Maryland had eight players score, while four of them logged double-figure points and, despite Okananwa clearly standing out, The Terps have a balanced attack that continues scoring freely.

The post Oluchi Okananwa Continues Dazzling Form In NCAA Women’s Basketball appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.