The Nigeria national basketball team, D’Tigers has commenced their quest for a place at next year’s summer Olympics to be held in London. On Wednesday, the team started on a bright note by defeating first opponents Mali, 59-84 points. The experience of NBA star, Ime Udoka came to fore with his 10 points and four rebounds in the game. 16 teams have been split into four groups where the gold winner will automatically qualify for the Olympics next year. The teams that emerge 2nd and 3rd will, however, book places in a 12-team FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament where three places will be up for grabs.
In this edition of the FIBA Africa Nations Cup for men in Antananarivo, Madagascar, Nigeria hopes to break the jinx and win the championship for the first time. Nigeria has never won the men version of the basketball event.
Nigeria will, however, have to dominate the competition including beating Africa super power, Angola to grab the gold and an automatic place for the Olympics.
If Nigeria wants to grab the sole slot, they must devise a way on how to overcome the Angolans, reputed to be Africa’s most successful basketball nation in recent times. Angola has won 10 of the past 11 editions of the Championship. Unbeaten in their last 35 Afrobasket games, they have only lost three in their last 72. Lost only one in 1997 to Senegal and failed to win the gold.
Also eyeing to beat Angola to the gold apart from Nigeria are Tunisia and Ivory Coast, both of which participated at last year’s FIBA World Championship. Senegal, regular contenders in the 1990s also have their eyes on the gold. Cameroon is also not going to be a push over.
Ivory Coast which captured a silver medal two years ago at the Afrobasket and booked a place at the 2010 FIBA World Championship will remain one of Nigeria’s formidable foes on the road to the top. Their opening day victory over South Africa like Nigeria over Mali is a statement.
Guy Edi led the Ivoirians with 19 points and four assists when they destroyed the South Africans, 105-53, in Madagascar. Mamade Diane, who had 17 points for Ivory Coast said: “All we want is to be top in our group and keep moving all the way,” Diane said told FIBA.com.
Reaching the Olympics is something that Diane said him and his teammates have been dreaming about all along.
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