Cash-strapped D'Tigers finally arrive in Tunisia 7 hours before Afrobasket qualifier

Nigeria's national basketball team D'Tigers have landed in Tunisia ahead of 2024 Afrobasket qualifiers.

The Nigerian men's basketball team, known as the D'Tigers, have landed in Tunisia for their Afrobasket qualifiers.

Pulse Sports Nigeria reports that the D’Tigers face a daunting task in the 2024 FIBA Afrobasket qualifiers after arriving with inadequate preparation due to a lack of funding. 

D’Tigers and FIBA

The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) had been unable to finance training camps and tournaments for the D'Tigers, leaving the team short on time to build chemistry and cohesion before the critical qualifiers tip-off on Friday night against Libya.

With NBBF president Musa Kida yet to be reimbursed after self-funding previous events, the federation finds itself in dire financial circumstances per a Pulse Sports report. 

With Nigeria in economic turmoil, the newly elected government of President Bola Tinubu faced calls to intervene and support the national basketball team as they attempt to qualify for Afrobasket amid difficult circumstances.

The calls seem to have worked as the basketball team has now arrived in Tunisia, the venue of the qualifiers per a post by the reliable Queen Moseph. 

Nigeria’s D’Tigers will now have just 6-7 hours of rest upon arriving in Tunisia before their opening match against Libya slated for 8 pm Nigerian time on Friday.

D’Tigers’ team for the qualifiers

• Michael Okiki HB
• Johnson Anaiye HB
• Victor Eze FB
• Kanyinsola Odufuwa HB
• Mike Nuga FB
• Moojeed Ewuosho FB
• Ibe Agu HB
• Devine Eke FB
• Bright Akhuetie  HB
• Abuchi Onyebuchi HB
• Michael Daramola HB
• Otobo Israel FB

• Head Coach : Abdulrahman Mohammed

  Ast: Ogoh Odaudu 

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