NBF begins preparations for last window of Men’s Afrobasket 2025 qualifiers

The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), says it has intensified preparations and build up for the last and crucial Qualifying Window for the 2025 Men’s Afrobasket Championship.

FIBA Men’s AfroBasket 2025 will be the 31st edition of Africa’s most prestigious continental men’s basketball championship. The tournament will take place in Luanda, the Angolan capital between the 12th and 24th of August, 2025, for the fourth time after they hosted the event in 1989, 1999 and 2007.

Former AfroBasket champions and four-time continental silver medalists, Nigeria, will travel to Lybia to compete in the last and final window of the 2025 FIBA Men’s AfroBasket Qualifiers.

Information available to newstap.com.ng indicates that the Federation has started linking up with players they hope to invite and some have been formally invited to be part of D’Tigers who are expected to roar and secure one of the two tickets still available for grabs from Group B.

The President of Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Engineer Musa Kida, said the team to Lybia will be a mixture of home based players and players plying their trade outside the shores of Nigeria.

Similarly, the NBBF Vice President who also doubles as Technical Director, Babatunde Ogunade, explained that the Federation will do its very best so that the country can present a strong team that can fight for the ticket to Angola.

“We can only work with the players available during this window, but more importantly the National Sports Commission (NSC), should provide the much needed funds on time,” Ogunade stated.

If given the nod to guide the team, Ogoh Odaudu and Abdul Rahman Mohammed, are expected to assembled a completely different squad from the previous team that went to Tunisia for the first Window of the Qualifiers.

Nigeria needs to win at least two of the three games they are expected to play and hope that Uganda bottles it chances. Cape Verde currently on 6 points are certain to reach the finals next year even with three defeats in this Window.

Host Lybia with 5 points will land in Angola with two more wins while Nigeria’s voyage to Luanda will end if Uganda picks two wins in this Qualifying Window.

WHAT MUST BE DONE BY THE NIGERIA BASKETBALL FEDERATION (NBBF)

1. The NBBF must set out a clear and workable road map for the Qualifiers & put a Task Force for it

2. Camp for the preparations must open on time and coaches informed of their responsibilities

3. A realistic budget with a detailed breakdown must be sent to the National Sports Commission on time

4. Set up a Liaison Committee of Office to serve as a link between the Sports Commission and the foreign affairs ministry

WHAT MUST BE DONE BY THE NATIONAL SPORTS COMMISSION (NSC)

1. Set up a Team or delegate a very experienced Senior Officer to work with the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Afrobasket Qualifiers Task Force

4. Approve and release funds on time and also mobilize support for the team

5. Link up with the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Nigeria Embassy and Ambassador in Lybia for quick, easy movement as well as comfortable stay in the Magreb

It’s noteworthy mentioning that Nigeria is languishing at the foot of Group B table of the qualifiers with 3 points behind Cape Verde on 6 points, Libya with 5 points and Uganda on 4 points.

Results of first round of Qualifiers in Group B

Cape Verde 78–73 Uganda
Nigeria 82–89 (OT) Libya
Uganda 72–62 Nigeria
Libya 68–72 Cape Verde
Libya 71–59 Uganda
Cape Verde 78–62 Nigeria

Next round of games in Group B 21-23 February 2025

Libya vs. Nigeria – 21/02/2025
Uganda vs. Cape Verde

C. Verde vs. Libya – 22/02/2025
Nigeria vs. Uganda

Nigeria vs. C. Verde – 23/02/2025
Uganda vs. Libya

Accountability, unity, transparency coupled with hard work and determination will go a long way in helping D’Tigers succeed.

Under FIBA’s new competition system the AfroBasket is held every four years and it comprises 16 national teams divided into four groups of four teams each.

The 16 national teams are met after a 20-nation AfroBasket Qualifier that runs through three qualifying windows in February and November 2024 and concludes in February 2025.

D’Tigers ended up in 12th place at the 2021 FIBA AfroBasket in Rwanda, marking their lowest finish since 1972.

Tunisia won the last two editions of the tournament in 2017 on home soil before lifting their third AfroBasket trophy in 2021 in Kigali, Rwanda.