Duro Ikhazuagbe
The final rosters for Nigeria’s senior men and women’s basketball teams were released yesterday with less than five days to the kick off the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan.
D’Tigers final 12-man list selected by Head Coach, Mike Brown is predominately dominated by players from the American National Basketball Association (NBA) after one month of intensive camping in Sacramento and Las Vegas.
Brown who also doubles as associate head coach of Golden State Warriors in the NBA selected Josh Okogie (Minnesota Timberwolves), Miami Heat’s trio of Gabe Vincent, KZ Okpala and Precious Achiuwa.
Also in the squad is Jahlil Okafor (Detroit Pistons), Miye Oni (Utah Jazz) are all in line to make their debut for Nigeria.
Jordan Nwora (Milwaukee Bucks) will join Caleb Agada (Hapoel Be’er Sheva), Obi Emegano (Fuenlbrada, Spain), Chimezie Metu (Sacramento Kings) and Ike Nwamu (Samara, Russia).
The team which recorded two famous wins against USA (World number 1) and Argentina (number 4) before a loss to Australia in their last tune up game will also include Ekpe Udoh who just completed a move to Virtus Bologna in the Italian Serie A.
According to the latest power ranking compiled by analysts, D’Tigers are rated fourth on the power ranking with just a week to the commencement of the basketball event.
D’Tigers are grouped against Italy, Australia and Germany.
In the women’s 12-man list, all eyes will be on Adaora Elonu, Aisha Balarabe, Elizabeth Balogun, Promise Amukamara, Atonye Nyingifa, Ezinne Kalu, Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpannah and Ify Ibekwe at the Olympics ahead of their first game against USA on the 27th of July.
Coach Otis Hughley who led the team to the 2019 Afrobasket win in Senegal also picked Oderah Chidom, Victoria Macaulay, Erica Ogwumike and Amy Okonkwo to complete the list of D’Tigress team heading to the oriental city of Tokyo.
The four players are in line to make their competitive debut for Nigeria at the games.
D’Tigress resumed Olympics camping in February and played series of tune up games as they are set to face USA, France and host-Japan.
The five-month training till date remains the longest in the history of basketball preparation.
