top of page

2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifying: Beacon of Hope, as Nigeria's D'Tigers Shock Côte d'Ivoire in Luanda

Chinedum Ohanusi

February, 24 2023.

Nigeria's Senior men's basketball team, D'Tigers began their campaign in the fourth and final round of qualifiers for a place in the 2023 FIBA World, with a surprise 72-63 victory over Côte d'Ivoire, in Luanda, capital Angola.


Considering that the twelve -man roster, is made up of 11 home-based players, and one unattached player based in the US; the result has been hailed as a Great win for Nigeria, whose hopes of qualifying for the World Cup still hands by a thread.


Aside the victory earned, the players sourced from Kwara Falcons, Gombe Bulls, Rivers Hoopers and Kano Pillars, and Coached by Ogor Odaudu, also gave a good account of themselves, and even dominated portions of the game.


After ending the unbeaten run of Côte d'Ivoire, the team was hurriedly put together by the Nigeria Basketball Federation after the Sports Ministry asked the NBBF leadership to look inward, as a result of paucity of funds, will next play Guinea on Saturday, before wrapping up their campaign against the hosts, Angola.


Nonetheless, the chances of D'Tigers qualifying for the 2023 FIBA World Cup to be co-hosted by three Asian countries, the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia are still not in their hands; as Nigeria will needs other countries, to falter.


Sixteen African teams began the competition for the five African slots, at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 African Qualifiers, through five tournament windows, played over 15 months, from November 2021 to February 2023.


The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 that's scheduled to take place from August 25th to September 10th, 2023.

33 views0 comments

Comments


bottom of page