In a bid to secure their spot at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, is gearing up for the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament games, News About Nigeria reports.
After their disappointment in failing to qualify for the 2023 FIBA Men’s World Cup, the team is determined to bounce back and make their mark on the international stage.
The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has reportedly, carefully selected a squad of 15 players, comprising home-based talents and foreign stars, to compete in the upcoming tournament.
Among them is Chimezie Metu, the new forward for the Phoenix Suns, who has been appointed as the captain to lead the team’s charge.
Head Coach Ogoh Odaudu, who guided the home-based team to an eighth-place finish at the AFRICAN championship, will be at the helm during the crucial qualification campaign.
The draw for the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournaments has been completed, setting the path for the 40 participating nations to vie for a spot in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Nigeria, having missed out on the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, has been allocated the opportunity to compete in the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournaments.
The West African team has been drawn in a tough group comprising Mali, Uganda, and Senegal for the upcoming event.
The Group Phase of the FIBA Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament will take place in Lagos, Nigeria, allowing D’Tigers to play in front of their fervent home fans, which arguably, provides an extra boost of support.
However, a surprising change has been made regarding the venue for the games. D’Tigers were initially expected to play at the Indoor Hall of the National Stadium, but they have now opted for the Eko Convention Center of Eko Hotels, due to the state of the former venue.
The FIBA Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament is scheduled to take place from August 12 to August 20, 2023, with the winners from each of the five tournaments receiving invitations to the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in July 2024.
