The head coach of defending champions — Marktown Flyers — Michael Ikima, has said that every victory counts the same, regardless of the margin, after his side secured a win in the opening game of the 2026 Nigeria Basketball Men’s Premier League.
Speaking to Ayoola Adeleke of Platinum News after the game, the coach said he was satisfied with the result and not overly concerned about the point difference.
“Every victory feels kind of the same because a win is a win at the end of the day. I don’t really care how we go about it as long as we win. Whether we win by one point or by 40 points, the important thing is getting the victory.”
The tactician noted that his team is still adapting after bringing in several new players ahead of the season.
“We’ve had limited time to get a lot of new players together and build chemistry, so I’m not disappointed at all with our performance or the point difference,” he explained.
According to Ikima, maintaining the winning mentality remains the club’s top priority as they continue their title defence.
“I keep telling the players that I don’t care how many points we win by. We are the defending champions and the objective is to win games.”
The coach also reserved praise for their next opponents, describing them as a disciplined side with a strong structure and consistent performances over the years.
“They always come prepared. Baba Kay has a very sound system and structure, and you can see it in the way they play,” he said. “They’ve consistently made it to the Final Eight, so they are not a team to undermine.”
Despite his side’s status as defending champions, the coach stressed that they would approach every opponent with the same level of seriousness and respect.
“It doesn’t matter who we are playing — we’ll always come out and play the same way,” he stated.
Reflecting on continental experiences, Ikima admitted that both he and some of his players have grown mentally and tactically over time.
“Even for me as a coach, when I first got to the African league, there were a lot of things I needed to learn, including how to stay calm when shouting at referees.”