D’Tigers battle South Sudan as Rwanda 2021 Afrobasket qualifiers begin

Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball national tea, D’Tigers, will begin their quest to retain their Afrobasket title when they meet South Sudan in their opening game of the qualifiers of the 2021 edition of the competition.

D’Tigers, who arrived in Kigali on Monday ahead of the 12-team championship, are in Group alongside Rwanda, Mali, and South Sudan. They will meet in South Sudan by 9.00 a.m. Rwandan time.

After Nigeria’s game, Kenya will take on Angola followed by the clash between Mozambique and Senegal before the hosts battle with Mali.

The teams will rest tomorrow and return to the courts on Friday with D’Tigers’ game against Rwanda drawing the curtains on the day’s activities. Before then, Cote d’Ivoire will meet Tunisia in the opening game, Madagascar will clash with the Central African Republic, while South Sudan will engage Mali in am battle for points.

The three-day competition will end on Saturday with Cote d’Ivoire and Madagascar opening the battle for points, followed by a clash between Tunisia and the Central African Republic and the match of the day featuring Nigeria and Mali before hosts Rwanda meet South Sudan in the last game of the qualifiers.

The Nigerian camp is in high spirits following ahead of the opening game. The players and officials all came out negative from their compulsory COVID-19 tests.

The team, comprising Captain Ike Diogu, Ben Uzoh, Ike Iroegbu, Obi Emegano, Caleb Agada, Keith Omoerah, Ibe Agu, Emmanuel Omogbo, Michael Gbinije, Amanze Egezeke, Jordan Ogundiran, and Chima Moneke, has been in intense preparation waiting for the ball to drop.