By Oviri Kelvin, Sports Editor
Ahead of the fourth window qualifiers for the 2023 FIBA World Cup, the Nigeria Basketball team, D’Tigers, will on Saturday, August 20, 2022, open camp in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, to prepare themselves appropriately.
The head coach, Mike Brown, said this became necessary to mitigate the repeat of the slow starts in the first and second windows that led to a defeat to Cape Verde.
He noted that early preparation will go a long way in reinvigorating the players for the challenge.
In a statement to the media department of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Brown stressed that “knowing the task ahead in its quest to qualify for the world cup, the team needs to get more training under their belt before they face host, Côte d’Ivoire, on Friday, 26 at the 3,500 capacity Palais des Sports Treichville.
“Hopefully, with us getting there a little earlier, getting three or four practices under our belt, it will show a little bit of difference when it comes to playing the games,” the head coach added.
Currently fourth on the table, D’Tigers will play its opener against host- Cote d’Ivoire on 26 Friday, before facing Guinea a day after.
On Sunday, 28 August, the team will square up against Angola. The 2023 world cup takes place from 25 August to 10 September in Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines
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Meanwhile, the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has dissolved the constituted interim committee to oversee basketball sports.
Recall that the federal government, in furtherance of the ban on Nigeria from all international basketball competitions, constituted an interim committee saddled with the responsibility to revamp the sports at the
grassroots.
However, following the series of pleas and interventions, the federal government decided to rescind its decision that paved the way for the country to continue to fight for a world cup ticket.
In a statement released on Monday, 15 August, 2022, by Manga Mohammed, director of press, it said the services of the interim committee are no longer needed and thanked them for the job done during their brief stay.
“The Federal Government in addressing the lingering crisis in the Nigeria Basketball Federation had cause to set up an Interim Management Committee on 4″ June, 2022 following Nigeria’s withdrawal from International competitions for two years.
“With the Federal Government’s rescission from its earlier withdrawal of Nigeria Basketball from the International scene and relisting the NBBF beginning from Nigeria’s participation in FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Africa Qualifiers in Kigali, Rwanda, the continuation of the IMC is no longer necessary.
“The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development hereby announces the dissolution of the Interim Management Committee for Nigeria Basketball with immediate effect.
“The Ministry in the same connection, wishes to thank the Chairman and Members of the now defunct Committee for their invaluable services to the Basketball family and the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement concluded.
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