Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, are expected to arrive in the country today (Monday) after competing at the 31st edition of the FIBA AfroBasket tournament in Angola, which ran from August 12 to 24.
The team, led by head coach Mohammed Abdulrahman, exited the competition last Wednesday following a 91-75 quarter-final defeat to regional rivals and continental giants Senegal. However, they remained in Angola until today, as their return tickets were booked for August 25.
It was gathered that several senior players had appealed to the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) to adjust their return dates, but the request was turned down. Consequently, some players, including Houston Rockets guard Josh Okogie, opted to personally purchase tickets to return to their respective bases earlier.
Despite their quarter-final exit, D’Tigers had a strong showing in the group stage, topping Group B with six points after wins over Madagascar, three-time champions Tunisia, and Cameroon. Key performers included Caleb Agada, Josh Okogie, Stan Okoye, and Ike Nwamu.
With AfroBasket now behind them, the team will shift focus to the FIBA Men’s World Cup Qualifiers starting in November, as they aim to secure a spot at the 2027 edition in Qatar. Nigeria last featured at the global showpiece in 2019 under former coach Alex Nwora, missing out on the 2023 tournament.
