D’TIGRESS have picked their first win of the third window of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers without breaking any sweat as their opponents Mali did not show up.
The game, which was scheduled for this afternoon in Kigali, Rwanda, was awarded as a win to D’Tigers with a 20-0 margin.
The Nigerian team, who had very little time to prepare because of the self-ban initially imposed by the federal government, had lost their opening game 79-70 to Cape Verde yesterday and needed victory today.
“NIGERIA WINS! With Mali’s forfeit, D’Tigers will advance to the next round in August,” the Nigerian team tweeted today, moments after FIBA made the decision.
The world basketball governing body explained the process of awarding today’s game to Nigeria, as well as Mali’s first fixture to Uganda scheduled for yesterday.
The Malians have been disqualified, leaving only Nigeria, Cape Verde and Uganda, who have all advanced to the second round of the qualifiers.
“Due to their failure to appear to its games against Uganda on July 1 and against Nigeria on July 2 in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 African Qualifiers, the Mali National Team has lost each of these games by forfeit,” FIBA stated.
“According to the official basketball rules, if in a tournament the team forfeits for the second time, the team shall be disqualified from the tournament and the results of all games played by this team shall be nullified.
“The remaining games of the third Window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 African Qualifiers will take place as scheduled.”
Naija Times understands that the Malians are refusing to play in protest against their national federation who is owing them money.
D’Tigress are due to face Uganda tomorrow in Kigali in the final game of the second window.
The fourth window of the African qualifiers, which is the beginning of the second round, will be held in August.
Nigeria, Cape Verde and Uganda will be joined by three teams from each the other three groups to form two new groups of six teams each.
The top two teams from each group and the best third-placed team will secure Africa’s five tickets to the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Indonesia, Japan and Philippines.
