The inaugural edition of the Wellington Scrabble Classics is here and the winner stands a chance of carting away the sum of Two hundred thousand Naira.

Wellington Jighere is the current WESPA World Scrabble Champion and in his bid to give back to the community together with his sponsors which include sportlineng.com, have organised a Scrabble Classics.

The Wellington Scrabble Classics will be played across three categories; The Masters (Rated 1400 and above); Opens (Rated 1399 and below) and Youth (Under 17).

The WESPA Rules Version 3, with 10 point penalty for an unsuccessful challenge will be used at the rated tournament. The duration is 20 minutes per player per game and a total of 15 games will be played.

The registration fee for Masters is N6, 000; Opens is N5, 000; and the Youth is N2, 000. To register kindly pay the said amount into this Access Bank account 0050704286; Wellington Jighere. After payment, contact 08037339135 for confirmation.

The tournament will start on the 8th and will end on 10th of September 2017. Friday, 8th September is for the arrival of the players, by 9 am on Saturday 9th of September games 1-10 will be played and on Sunday by 8 am games 11-15 will be played.

The venue is Option57 Hall and Suites, Abisogun Avenue (by Afolabi Bus stop along LASU Road), Akesan, Lagos.

There would be an opportunity for the audience to win recharge cards. Watch this space for updates. You could be one of our 10 lucky winners.


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Nigeria women national team D’Tigress have emerged as one of the biggest climbers in the latest Nike FIBA World Ranking Women in the wake of their FIBA Women’s AfroBasket 2017 success.

Following on from their memorable night in Bamako when they stormed past 12-time champions Senegal to land the coveted silverware, Nigeria have moved up an eye-catching eight places and into 34th place in the rankings.

Despite going unbeaten in Bamako, the likes of Senegal, Angola, Mali and Mozambique whom they battered en route their way to winning the title remained ahead of the D’Tigress.

HERE ARE THE TOP 10 TEAMS FROM AFRICA

1. Senegal 17

2. Angola 18

3. Mali 24

4. Mozambique 25

5. Nigeria 34

6. Cameroon 43

7. Cote D’Ivoire 53

8. Egypt 55

9. Guinea 61

10. Dem.Rep. of Congo 65

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We really do need him. esp since the ikeme ish.

sharap! bodi don dey tell you. Joshua will beat you like the kid you are.

Keep an eye on 6’10” center Bam Adebayo and other four players of Nigerian descent when the 2017 NBA draft gets underway on Thursday.

1. Bam Adebayo- Kentucky – 6’10” 250lbs
Draft projection- ESPN’s Chad Ford projects Adebayo to be taken with the 20th pick of the 1st round by the Portland Trail Blazers. NBA player comparison- Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson and Orlando Magic Center Bismack Biyombo are the best comparison for Adebayo and his game at this point.

Profile- The son a Nigerian father, Bam Adebayo moved with his mother to North Carolina from Newark, NJ at the age of seven.

2. OG Anunoby- Indiana – 6’8″ 215lbs
Draft projection- ESPN’s Chad Ford projects Anunoby to be taken with the 13th pick of the 1st round by the Denver Nuggets.
NBA player comparison- Anunoby has elicited comparisons to San Antonio Spurs star Kawhi Leonard on the high end, and more reasonable comparisons to Portland Trail Blazers Nigerian forward Al-Farouq Aminu.

Profile- London-born Anunoby was raised in Jefferson City, Missouri by Nigerian parents. With a brother (Chigbo Anunoby) who made it to the NFL, O.G will be the second Anunoby to turn professional in a major sport.

3. Ike Anigbogu- UCLA – 6’10” 230lbs
Draft projection- ESPN’s Chad Ford projects Anigbogu to be taken with the 17th pick of the 1st round by the Portland Trail Blazers. NBA player comparison- Houston Rockets Swiss center (of Congolese & Angolan parentage) Clint Capela.

Profile- Anigbogu, the California-born son of Nigerian immigrants, is one of the quickest big men in the draft, as evidenced by his ability to get down court before opposing bigs on fast breaks.

4. Wesley Iwundu- Kansas State – 6’7″ 205lbs
Kansas State forward Wesley Iwundu (25) celebrates a basket during the second half of a NCAA college basketball game against Oklahoma in Manhattan, Kan., Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Kansas State defeated Oklahoma 80-69. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)
Draft projection- Most mock drafts project Iwundu to be drafted at the end of the first round or early in the second round.
NBA player comparison- Iwundu’s ceiling might be a player such as Golden State Warriors Forward Andre Iguodala. With improved shooting, a better comparison might be Atlanta Hawks Guard/Forward Thabo Sefolosha.

5. Jesusemilore “Semi” Ojeleye - SMU – 6’7″ 235lbs
Draft projection- Ojeleye the son of a Nigerian doctor and nurse is projected as a late first or early second round pick.
NBA player comparison- On the high (very high) end, Golden State Warriors Forward Draymond Green minus the handling and passing ability. On the low end, Boston Celtics Guard/Forward Jae Crowder.

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Manchester United reportedly have reservations about making a move for Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo this summer.

Numerous media outlets recently claimed that the four-time Ballon d’Or winner is keen to quit the Bernabeu due to the tax case looming over him.

Spanish prosecutors have alleged that Ronaldo has avoided paying €14.8m (£12.9m) in taxes relating to image rights.

The prolific attacker has denied the accusations, but it has led him to reconsider his future, with a return to United thought to be on his mind.

However, according to The Express, United are wary about the situation and fear that the 32-year-old is using them in order to get an improved deal from Madrid.

Manager Jose Mourinho had a difficult relationship with Ronaldo during the Portuguese coach’s three-year spell at the Bernabeu, and it is believed that the Champions League winner was not initially a target drawn up on the transfer wishlist.

The report claims that despite the player’s quality, there are concerns that he would not fit into the team that Mourinho is trying to mould.

United are also worried that a long-running transfer saga involving Ronaldo could result in the club missing out on other potential signings.


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Neymar and Gabriel Jesus will improve Brazil’s chances but it takes an entire team to win the World Cup, according to Pele.

Barcelona superstar Neymar and promising young Manchester City forward Jesus will be expected to lead the line for the Selecao in Russia next year, as they seek to make up for the disappointment of a humiliating 7-1 loss to eventual winners Germany in the semi-finals on home soil in 2014.

Pele, one of football’s most iconic players, knows exactly what it takes to win the World Cup, having starred in winning teams in 1958, 1962 and 1970.

Asked if the presence of Neymar could make the difference, he said: “Listen, this is very difficult to say because today people mention one or two good players, but who won the game and [the] World Cup is the team.

“Individually it is difficult to say people [did it]. Sometimes one team have a better one [player]. For example, Barcelona have Lionel Messi, one player, but they have a lot of good players.

“To win the World Cup, or to win the game it has to be a nice team not just one player.

“…Of course, always we [Brazil] expect to win [the World Cup]. I think Brazil has good new players and the team has more experience because most of the players that play for the national team play outside [of Brazil]. This is important.

“What we need now is to get a nice team and let them play. I think it will be an excellent World Cup and I wish Brazil make the final.”

Like Pele, Neymar is a former Santos fan favourite. And Pele believes his successor has thrived upon moving to LaLiga in 2013.

“He improved a lot in Europe when he went to Barcelona,” Pele said.

“And I think he has a chance to be one of the great players at the next World Cup in Russia… I think he will be one of the great players in the future.”

Of Jesus, who impressed upon his arrival at City last season, Pele added: “He’s a good player too. The same as Neymar, [but] he’s just started.

“I think Neymar has a little more experience than him, but both have the same style of game.

“But they are both two forwards that will give Brazil success in the future.”

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Diego Maradona would have liked to see Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo line up alongside Lionel Messi for Argentina’s national side, although he is adamant he still prefers the Barcelona forward.

Maradona is full of praise for Ronaldo, but he would still take Messi over the Portugal superstar regardless of his inability to deliver Argentina the world title.

“Cristiano is an animal,” Maradona told TyC Sports. “I wish he was Argentine.

“But I still prefer Messi. He is enjoying playing football and goes by opponents with ease.

“Leo cannot deliver the World Cup on his own. Even if he does not win a World Cup, we will still remember him.”


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Tyson Fury believes a fight between himself and Anthony Joshua is what “the world wants to see” after the heavyweight champion hinted he would take on his fellow Briton.

Joshua holds the IBF and WBA belts after beating Wladimir Klitschko to extend his record to 19 wins from 19 bouts – all of which have come via knockout – and he is awaiting a possible rematch with the veteran.

Fury, meanwhile, has not fought since triumphing over Klitschko in November 2015 and is working his way back to fitness, though he has yet to regain his boxing license after stepping away from the sport amid reported mental health issues.

Joshua suggested he would seek to fight the former champion after a rematch with Klitschko and Fury (25-0) is also keen to make the fight happen.

“People do want to see the fight between me and you, AJ,” 28-year-old Fury said in a video posted on Instagram. “The world wants to see it because I am still the lineal heavyweight champion and everybody knows that.

“I walked away from boxing because I wasn’t interested – there were no challengers there. I beat the best man there was. But now it seems that I’ve been out two years and there are a few more challengers.

“People think that you can beat me. I don’t think you can, personally. Let me get my situation on track, get fit and then I’ll fight you. May the best man win.”

However, promoter Eddie Hearn has warned that a fight between the pair is “miles away”, with mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev and WBC champion Deontay Wilder touted as other potential opponents for Joshua.

I woke up this morning with my Swagg On.#DeontayWilder #BombZquad #MostPrestigious #WBCHeavyWeightChampionOfTheWorld pic.twitter.com/cbJb24QVfx

— Deontay Wilder (@BronzeBomber) June 6, 2017

Fury was responding to a Joshua interview in which the 27-year-old said his goal was to hold all four heavyweight belts at the same time.

“I listen to what people want. Tyson makes a lot of noise and he’s made it clear that he wants to fight me,” Joshua told Sky Sports.

“Now, I’m in a position that I can say: ‘Tyson when you’re back, I’m interested, so let’s live up to what people want to see us do.’ That’s why he’s top of my list. In the UK, Tyson Fury. Internationally, my pick would be Wilder. I’ve built a relationship with the United States.

“You can never set your standards too low, let’s aim high. I will state today that [holding all four belts] is very possible.”

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It will end in stalemate - don't forget everyone suddenly finds form against Chelsea.