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By Joe Apu
D’Tigers’ head coach to this weekend’s FIBA World Cup African Qualifiers in Luanda, Angola, Ogoh Odaudu has expressed confidence in his wards picking the maximum two points against already qualified Cote d’Ivoire.
Coach Odaudu told SportsongSun after the team’s first training session in Luanda that his players are in high spirit and ready to go all the way.
“We have seen the make-up of the Cote d’Ivoire team and we have made our minds up to give this game everything we can to ensure victory. Yes, our team has 95% players from the domestic league but that is no reason doe anyone to write us off. We will do our best to get the necessary points and await the outcome of the games in Group F.
In the final team list released by the Nigeria Basketball Federation, the governing body of the sport in Nigeria, four (4) players were selected from Gombe Bulls, three (3) from Nigeria Customs, two (2) from Rivers Hoopers, one (1) from the league winners, Kwara Falcons and one free agent – Olatunji Graham.
Coach Odaudu (Rivers Hoopers), will is supported by Baba Jubril (Kwara Falcons) and AbdulRahman Mohammed (Gombe Bulls).
DTigers are grouped against Cote D`Ivoire, Angola, Guinea, Cape Verde, and Angola in Group E. They have played three games so far in the second round, winning just one. The last three games in this final window d
Though, Cote d’Ivoire have already qualified for this year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup, but there is no room to rest on their laurels, according to the words of two of their veteran players.
