D’Tigers begins their quest to reach the finals of AfroCan Basketball Championship

By Maxwell Kumoye

Nigeria’s male senior national team D’Tigers will begin their quest to reach the finals of the 2023 AfroCan Basketball Championship scheduled to hold in July in Angola today at the Palais des Sports de Treichville, Abidjan the Ivorian capital.

The twelve man team breezed into Abidjan on Thursday aboard ASKY the Pan African Airlines flight 0063 from the Centre of Excellence, Lagos.

This is contrary to an online publication on Thursday, that the team is heading to Africa’s leading cocoa producing country Cote D’Ivoire by road.

The President of Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Engineer Musa Ahmadu Kida said traveling by road to Abidjan was never in the Federation’s plan for D’Tigers.

“If well planned in advance, a team can traveled by road or ship to Abidjan but as has been our custom and tradition in the NBBF, we make sure all the national team players get the very best traveling experience and that’s what we offered them.” Kida stated.

He further explained that out-right falsehood, half truth and innuendos by a particular online publication in recent times will not be treated lightly again as it’s damaging the domestic game and equally driving away the much needed sponsorship from both the government and the private sector.

Three countries from FIBA Africa Zone 3 and one country from Zone 2 are in Abidjan to fight for the sole ticket from the combine Zone 2 and 3 make shift arrangement by FIBA Africa for next month quadrangle AfroCan Championship in Luanda, Angola next month.

FIBA Africa had to hurriedly arrange this make shift Qualifiers due to the fact that seven countries from domant FIBA Africa Zone 2 did not register for the Qualifiers while five other countries in the inactive Zone 3 turned a blind eye to the event.

Countries from Zone 3 that are in the Ivorian capital are Benin Republic, host nation Cote d’Ivoire and Africa’s number one slamming and dunking country, Nigeria. Guinea is holding it down for Zone 2 in Abidjan.

The opening match of the AfroCan Basketball Qualifiers is the confrontation between host Cote d’Ivoire against new comers Benin while hot favourite D’Tigers of Nigeria under the stewardship of coach Ogoh Odaudu will file out against familiar face Guinea in the second game of Match Day 1.

The head Coach of D’Tigers, Ogoh Odaudu, says the team is in Abidjan for serious business and to get the job done.

Ogoh Odaudu, who led the D’Tigers to a remarkable outing in the sixth and final Window of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers in Angola in February this year has assembled a twelve man team that will surely give Cote D’Ivoire, Guinea and first timers Benin Republic a run for their money when the Qualifiers tips off today.

Ogoh Odaudu is in Abidjan with the same technical crew, Baba Jubril and Abdulrahman Mohammed. He is confident of a good showing. The roster consists of nine players of the team that represented Nigeria at the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers in Angola in February this year.

Abdulwahab Yakubu, Israel Otobo and Lekan Olatunji make way for Bayo Oduleye, Tolani Buhari and Abba Adamu Adam.

“We’re not here for sightseeing but strictly for business. Our target is to get the qualification ticket first and then prepare for the bigger battle. Our participation in 2019 was a learning experience and we don’t want to let this opportunity slip off our fingers,” he stated.

Nigeria, finished second from bottom during the maiden edition of the AfroCan in 2019 and the country is eagerly looking forward to returning to the championship in Angola.

The winner of this qualifier will be added to Group A in the 2023 AfroCan alongside Kenya and Gabon. It’s the last qualifying ticket for the 12-nation AfroCan as FIBA Africa will attribute one wildcard to complete the tournament’s line-up.

Host Cote d’Ivoire are the biggest threat to Nigeria picking the ticket in Abidjan. It’s noteworthy to state that Nigeria and Cote D’Ivoire met twice during the World Cup Qualifiers in Abidjan and Luanda, D’Tigers lost in Abidjan but defeated Cote D’Ivoire in Luanda. D’Tigers also met Guinea on two occasions during the World Cup Qualifiers and they won both games.

At the last AfroCan finals, Cote D’Ivoire were a step above Nigeria on the table while Guinea was first from the rear in 2019. Benin Republic will be hoping to reach the finals for the first time.

The coach of the Cheetahs of Benin Republic, Assad John Kadi, has seven members of Elan Coton Basketball Club, winners of the Benin League to produce the fire power and much needed chemistry for them to succeed at the Qualifiers after two weeks of grueling camping program.

NIGERIA TEAM LIST:

✓ ANAIYE JOHNSON OJONEKA
✓ ANYAOHA WISDOM CHRISTIAN
✓ EZEH VICTOR TOCHUKWU
✓ ODULEYE ADEBAYO ADEBOLA
✓ CHIMBUO CHINEDU MARTINS
✓ AFUWAPE MICHAEL OKIKI
✓ DARAMOLA MICHAEL ILERIOLUWA
✓ ODUFUWA KANYINSOLA JOSEPH
✓ AGU IBE ABUCHI
✓ KOKO VICTOR ANTHONY
✓ BUHARI TOLANI IBRAHIM
✓ ADAMU ADAM ABBA

COACHES:
✓ OGOH ODAUDU – HEAD COACH
✓ BABA JIBRIL – ASSISTANT COACH
✓ ABDULRAHMAN MOHAMMED – ASSISTANT COACH

This is the match fixtures for the Qualifiers:

JUNE 30 (Friday)
Cote D’Ivoire vs Benin
Nigeria vs Guinea

JUL 01 (Saturday)
Guinea vs Cote D’Ivoire Benin Republic vs Nigeria

JUL 02 (Sunday)
Cote D’Ivoire vs Nigeria
Guinea vs Benin Republic