Head Coach of D’Tigers Ogoh Odaudu has shouldered the blame for Nigeria’s failure to advance to the semifinals of the FIBA Africa Pre-Olympics qualifiers happening in Lagos, News About Nigeria gathered.
Nigeria faced defeats against Senegal and Mali in the competition, leading to their elimination from the race for Africa’s final slot in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Odaudu took responsibility for the team’s performance and expressed his disappointment, particularly as Nigeria held the lead in both matches until the final quarters.
In their latest match against Mali, D’Tigers secured the first three quarters with scores of 25-17, 43-38, and 61-53. However, they experienced a sudden decline in the fourth quarter, losing the game with a final score of 68-77.
Reflecting on the outcome, Odaodu admitted that he has no explanation for the boys’ inability to scale through the tournament while stating he should be held to account, “I have no explanation for the defeat to Mali. We have made mistakes and I take the blame.
He further regretted that things did not fall as planned, even when the team offered their best, having trained hard ahead of the competition.
“We did all we could to win on the court, but things did not work out. We did not have the best of preparations, but still, I take the blame. Hopefully, we move forward.”
The challenges faced during the competition, including the last-minute losses, will see Nigeria’s basketball team wait for another four years after 2024, to have a shot at the Olympics again.
Meanwhile, lessons are said to have been learned, which will undoubtedly, have the team prepare adequately for future tournaments.
