Ibrahim "Air Ghana" Gariba has now played an unprecedented nine consecutive seasons for London Capitals.

It has been a rollcoaster ride with the club rising from the EBL to the BBL and then back down to the EBL 2nd Division. Whatever league Capitals have played in the one constant has been the stellar performances of 6'9" Gariba at Centre, putting up Points & Rebound Double-Doubles week after week.

In the Capitals' three seasons in the BBL from 2007 to 2010 he averaged 14.4 points and 7.5 rebounds in over 100 games, stats that a leading import big man would be proud of.

For the last two seasons in the British top flight as Capitals struggled on a limited budget Gariba became the main contributor. In fact as Gariba regularly put up those double-doubles in Capitals defeats the BBL decided that only players on winning teams could appear in their Team of the Week, in what was jokingly referred to as the "Ibrahim Gariba" rule. Gariba was rewarded though at the end of both those seasons when he represented the British team in the BBL All-Star game.

Back in the EBL, Gariba has continued to be the Capitals main man even when the team was relegated to EBL2 in 2012. Capitals chances of a quick return to EBL1 this season were dented when the club was deducted 12 points for fielding an unregistred player. Undeterred Capitals posted a 17-5 record, matching the number of wins of title winning NASSA.

In the play-offs Capitals were leading in the 3rd quarter against Eastside Eagles then a head injury forced Gariba to leave the game and Capitals fell to a 67-63 defeat. A tight-knit group Capitals can definitely be contenders for London Summer League but they will need their star centre on the court.

See Ibrahim Gariba highlights at: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5aH7FU4nu8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXCPvSR3oP4