Izuchukwu OkosiNigeria’s men’s senior basketball national team D’Tigers will today (Friday) begin their quest to reach the finals of the 2023 African Basketball Championship scheduled to hold in July in Angola.
The qualifiers begin at the magnificent Palais des Sports de Treichville, Abidjan the Ivorian capital.
The12- man team arrived Abidjan on a road trip Thursday from Lagos.
The President of Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Musa Ahmadu Kida spoke to the media and noted that travelling by road to Abidjan was never in the Federation’s plan for D’Tigers.
“If well planned in advance, a team can travel 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 travelling experience and that’s what we offered them.” Kida stated.
Kida 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.
D’Tigers will this evening face Guinea. Their next game is on Saturday against Benin Republic then will round off their campaign on Sunday against Cote d’Ivorie.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
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