THE International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has adjusted its fixtures due to the late arrival of the Nigerian senior male national basketball team D’Tigers for the 2025 Afrobasket championship starting today, Friday, February 23, in Tunisia.
The ICIR reported that the D’Tigers had lost hope of featuring owing to being financially incapacitated two days before the commencement of the championship, eliciting public sympathy.
The torrents of public sympathy poured out to the team from the basketball enthusiasts awoke the sports ministry to wade in and provide funds for the team to feature at the championship.
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The ICIR learnt the D’Tigers landed in Tunisia late Thursday and will train within a short time before beginning its quest for a ticket to the 2025 Afrobasket championship.
The initial time for the first match between Nigeria and Libya in group B was 2 p.m. but because of the D’Tigers late arrival, it was shifted to 6pm.
Meanwhile, ahead of the match, the head coach of D’Tigers, Abdulrahman Mohammed, has released a 12-man list, a mix of new players and some others who participated in the unsuccessful pre-Olympic qualifiers in Lagos State last year.
Michael Okiki, Johnson Anaiye, Victor Eze, Kanyinsola Odufuwa, and Mije Nuga take the lead in the roster.
Others are, Mojeed Ewuosho, Ibe Agu, Devine Eke, Bright Akhuetie, Abuchi Onyebuchi, Emmanuel Omogbo and Otibo Israel.
All eyes would be on the Nigerian lads to defeat their opponents and replicate the feats of their female counterparts, D’Tigress, who defied all odds to nick a ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
The Nigerians would next face Uganda and Cape Verde in the subsequent qualifier matches.
Read the update here.