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Nigeria’s Under 18 Men and Women basketball teams are set to depart for South Africa on Friday to participate in the FIBA U18 AfroBasket Championships for Men and Women.
The Men’s team will leave from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while the Women’s team will depart from the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.
Despite their determination to secure spots in the upcoming World Championship, the journey has been overshadowed by financial difficulties. Officials from the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) reportedly struggled to gather funds for the trip, receiving no assistance from the Federal Ministry of Sports Development. Instead, the federation relied on private sources to make the trip possible.
An anonymous NBBF board member, speaking from Abuja, expressed confidence in the team’s future, emphasizing the importance of developing junior players. “We can’t rely on the same set of D’Tigress and D’Tigers forever. We need to continue building our junior players for the future. Winning in South Africa would be a bonus, but the primary goal is to expose and develop our young talents,” the official stated.
Nigeria’s U18 teams earned their spots in the Final Round of the competition after triumphing in the FIBA Africa Zone 3 tournament in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire earlier this month. However, despite the significance of this developmental program, the team has not received the expected financial support from the sports ministry.
The boys’ team will compete in Group B against Angola, Egypt, and Uganda at the 2024 FIBA Africa Men’s U18 Basketball Championship, which begins on September 2 in Pretoria, South Africa. The finalists of this tournament will qualify for the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup in Switzerland next year.
In the girls’ event, Nigeria will face Egypt, Uganda, and Zimbabwe in Group C.
LIST OF PLAYERS
BOYS
1. Sulaimon Azeez Olaitan
2. Ojiako Jovan Chiebuka
3. Dan-Mutum Daubuna-Chule Ibrahim
4. kpee Favour Komene
5. Owinje Ohiozojeblake
6. Bassey Ekpo-Effiong
7. Dalhat abdulmalik malik
8. Ezekiel Isaac Oluwatemitope
9. Hart Abraham Boyce
10. Ibe Favour Ikedinachukwu
11. Ike David Ugonna
12. Ajala Chidalu David
GIRLS
1. Hembam Wandoo Marvis
2. Beggi Idubamo Pius
3. Lijirin Doyinsola Modesayor
4. John Patience
5 Umeh Amarachi Blessing
6. Idris Maryam Omotomiwa
7. Sampson Favour Izibefien
8. Iwuji Vivian Chiamaka
9. Ayodeji Haminatu olanrewaju
10. Shehu khadijat garba
11. Tewogbade Mololuwa Ayomide
12. Isaac Abigail
