NBBF Throws D’Tigers Coach Job Open…,

Tijjani Umar. NBBF President

The Nigeria Basketball Federation ( NBBF ) after the board meeting on Sunday stated that the coaching job of the National men’s team open for application.

The board unanimously agreed to this decision after due consultation with the technical committee to open the door to any coach interested to lead the D’Tigers to the defense of their All African Games title and the 2015 FIBA Africa Basketball championship in Tunisia.

The coaches interested in job are to submit there application to the Nigerian Basketball Federation secretariat and the best candidate will be selected after interviews have been conducted.

According to the President of the Nigerian Basketball Federation, Mr Tijjani Umar, the national team gaffer selection will be based on merit as the team hopes to make a return to the Olympics in Rio 2016 by coming tops at the 2015 Afrobasket in Tunisia, having made their debut at the Olympics in London 2012 via the Olympic Qualifying event in Venezuela.

…National Teams to Camp in Nigeria

The NBBF President also revealed after the meeting that the Men’s and women’s national team will camp in Nigeria ahead of the All Africa Games and the 2015 Afrobasket for men and women.

Mr Umar stated that the teams will be camped in Abuja ahead of their continental showpiece,so as to bring a level playing field for both the foreign and home based players to compete for a place on the team and also practise in the African atmosphere ahead of the tournaments.

The NBBF President also disclosed that a two man task force including himself and the Vice President of the federation, who doubles as the chairman of the Technical committee, Mr Muktar Khaleh will travel to the US to interface with the US based players and organise friendlies and prospective training tour hosts ahead of the competitions.

Tijjani Umar. NBBF President

He said:

” We already have friendly matches and pre-tournament competitions mapped out in Europe and in China but we will also plan have a training tour in the United States even though we will camp in Abuja”.

The task force will leave for the United States as soon as the Women’s qualification tournament in Abidjan on May 30th”. He added.

The national basketball team has always had his camping in the US in the last decade or so and it’s about time the players wherever they are based come to the country and give the fans an opportunity to get to know and interact with them.

The resumption date for the D’Tigers will be announced in due course having already qualified for the Afrobasket and All African Games while the D’Tigress (the female national team) will resume camp this week as they prepare to battle for qualification to the continental showpieces from the 26th to 30th of May against the likes of Cote d’ivoire, Ghana and Liberia in Abidjan. The invited players and coaches of the female national camp will be announced after the conclusion of the 1st Phase of Zenith Bank Female Basketball League.

D’Tigers Seeded Against Host Tunisia In Afrobasket 2015 Draws.

The Nigerian senior male national basketball team, the D’Tigers have been pitted against former champions and host Tunisia in Group A at the draws for the 2015 FIBA Africa Basketball Championship which took place at the Carthage Acropolium in Tunis on Saturday.

The D’Tigers are ranked 24th in the World and 3rd in Africa will be hoping to roar past no 4 ranked Tunisia, who last won the competition in 2011. Also seeded in the group is a little known Uganda who are making their debut at the continental showpiece and the 1st of 3 wild card teams which will be announced at the end of April by FIBA Africa.

The tournament which will be held from 19-30 August in the Tunisian cities of Nabeul and Tunis will serve as a qualifying event for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Nigeria’s Men’s Basketball team D’Tigers

In Group B, defending champions Angola who will be gunning for their 12th title under the tutelage of new but experienced coach Moncho Lopez , will battle against Mozambique, Morocco and another Wild Card entry.While Afrobasket 2013 runners up, Egypt will hope to go a step further than their fairytale run carried them in Abidjan as set up an interesting match up against West African foes in Cameroon and Mali who threw up a suprise to qualify ahead of 2013 bronze medalist Senegal alongside Gabon makes up group C.

Finally the Elephants of Cote d’ivoire who dramatically ended up 4th at home in 2013 will have the Nigerian born Alex Uwora tutored Cape Verde to battle against, debutant Zimbabwe and the 3rd wild card pick to compete against in Group D.

It is the third time that Tunisia will get to stage the Afrobasket, having previously hosted it in 1965 and 1987.

Seven teams tabled bids for the 3 Wild cards available to the Tunisian showpiece. Amongst which are South Africa, Algeria, Central African Republic, Rwanda, Senegal, Congo and Guinea.

D’Tigers Seal Continental Deals In Lagos

D’Tigers of Nigeria in action against Burkina Faso

Nigeria sealed qualification to the 2015 FIBA Africa Basketball championship in Tunisia and the All African Games in Congo with a 63-50 victory over Burkina Faso in the 2nd Leg of the qualifiers at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National stadium in Surulere, Lagos.

The D’Tigers who won the 1st leg by 23 points in Ouagadougou jumped off the starting block in style, in front of the ecstatic Lagos crowd with an 8 points lead in the 1st quarter with the score line at 18-10 points.

D’Tigers of Nigeria in action against Burkina Faso

Though missing a couple of free throws in the 2nd quarter, the D’Tigers extended their lead 32-17 to go on the half time break with a 15 points lead thanks to good offensive display.

It was a tougher game for the host after the break as the Burkinabes’ gave a tough fight in the 2nd half winning both the 3rd and 4th quarters 15-14 and 18-17 points respectively. However, a relentless Nigerian side held on for the much needed victory to keep the 2016 Rio Olympics dream alive, which the 2015 Afrobasket will act as qualifiers.

Burkina Faso’s Men Basketball team

Burkina Faso’s Moussa Ouattara lead the floor on the night with 12 points and 11 rebounds in the losing effort with no Nigerian player recording double digits.

However, Azuoma Dike, Abdulwahab Yakubu and Abdulwahab Yahaya all finished with 9points apiece with Azuoma adding 6 rebounds to his tally. And Nigeria’s only home based player at the 2013 FIBA Africa Basketball Championship (Afrobasket) in Abidjan , Stanley Gumut giving a performance reminiscent of the performance that got him a national call up putting up 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists and captain Olumide Oyedeji adding 6 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists.

Olumide Oyedeji, Captain D’Tigers Of Nigeria speaking with the media after the game

Nigeria is now joins 13 other qualified countries – Angola, Egypt, Cote d’ Ivoire, Cameroon, Mali, Morocco, Uganda, Cape Verde, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Gabon, Congo and host Tunisia- for her 17th appearance at FIBA Africa Championship built for the cities of Nabuel and Hammamet, Tunisia from the 20th-30th August 2015 vis-a-vis the 11th All African Games scheduled for September 4-19th in Congo Brazzaville.