NBBF clarifies D’Tigers’ position after AfroBasket qualifiers in Rwanda

The Nigeria Basketball Federation has explained that the race for a place in the 2021 FIBA Men’s AfroBasket has not ended despite D’Tigers’ impressive run in Kigali, Rwanda. 

The 2015 AfroBasket champions won all their games at the qualifiers in Kigali, defeating South Sudan, Rwanda and Mali, each of them by at least 20 points.

There have been conflicting media reports over Nigeria’s qualification status but the NBBF has given clarification,  explaining that there will be a third window of the process before D’Tigers can seal their ticket to Africa’s prime basketball tournament. 

NBBF President Musa Kida is pleased the team did brilliantly in Kigali under new American coach Mike Brown,  but he notes that there is still much more work to be done, especially in terms of financing.

“The results you are seeing are the manifestation of weeks of brainstorming, planning, scouting, camping and financial commitment by the federation. Despite the huge margins against South Sudan, Rwanda and Mali, those wins never came easy,” Kida said on Monday

“A South Sudan that many could have easily taken for granted as a debutant in this round who had to replace Algeria who withdrew from the qualification race shocked, Mali and Rwanda in their backyard.

“We are still looking for individuals and corporate organisations to key into what we are doing as a federation in the area of sponsorships and endorsement to boost our finances because the Federal Government cannot do it all.”

Kida promised to turn the team into a global brand that Nigerians and the continent of Africa will be proud of.

“We will continue to take those steady steps in our quest to turn around the fortunes of basketball in line with our promise when we came on board in 2017,”  he assured.