Following the official unveiling of the 12-man roster for Nigeria’s Senior Men’s National Basketball Team, the Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, has issued a rallying cry to the D’Tigers, charging them to seize the moment and take a decisive step toward securing a ticket to the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Speaking ahead of the highly anticipated fourth qualifying window, Hon. Olopade urged both the players and the technical crew to translate their undeniable quality into positive results, emphasising the need for absolute focus on the ultimate objective of global qualification.
“This is a very important window for D’Tigers and for Nigerian basketball. We have a talented group of players and an experienced technical team, and now is the time to translate that quality into results. I am charging the team to take full advantage of this window, play with unity, discipline, and the Nigerian fighting spirit, and put themselves in the strongest possible position to secure qualification. The entire nation is behind you, and we expect you to represent Nigeria with pride and give your very best for the country,” Olopade stated.
The newly announced roster features a formidable, star-studded lineup comprising Chimezie Metu, Josh Okogie, Caleb Agada, Stan Okoye, Chima Moneke, Ike Nwamu, Udoka Azubuike, Efe Abogidi, Ebuka Izundu, Manny Obaseki, Jordan Ogundiran, and Paul Dibal.
Guiding the squad will be Head Coach David Fizdale, supported by a world-class technical crew featuring assistant coaches Dan Craig, Quinton Crawford, Deji Akindele, and Dapo Adegibile. With this crucial stage of the campaign at hand, the NSC expects the team to approach every fixture with elite discipline and a strong sense of national pride.
The D’Tigers are scheduled to play all three of their upcoming group fixtures in Radès, Tunisia. The campaign tips off against Cameroon on August 27, followed swiftly by a clash with South Sudan on August 28, before concluding the window against Cabo Verde on August 30.
Reaffirming the Federal Government’s unwavering commitment to the team’s success, the National Sports Commission extended its best wishes to the squad as they prepare for the demanding task ahead. The Commission also officially called upon all Nigerians to rally behind the D’Tigers as they continue their pursuit of securing a rightful place among the world’s elite basketball nations.