Unless the National Sports Commission (NSC) comes up fast with the necessary funding to boost the D’Tigress’ quest to defend their African Nations Cup (Afrobasket) title at the 2025 edition in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, the girls will most likely lose the crown.
The team has been subjected to a shabby travel arrangement such that as of yesterday, officials of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) and the supervisory NSC could not give a specific date of departure for the national team.
The 2025 Afrobasket Championship will tip off on July 26. A source at the NBBF told The Guardian, yesterday, that the NSC has not come up with the flight tickets to Cote d’Ivoire, consequently, the federation has not informed the hosts or the continent’s basketball governing body, FIBA Africa, about the team’s itinerary. He said: “There is no fund yet, but of course, we are the defending champions, and so the whole world knows that we will be there.”
According to the source, who pleaded anonymity, the NSC was scheduled to release funds for the 2025 Afrobasket in May to help the Federation get the players’ tickets to Abuja for the camping and a pre-championship tournament designed as a part of their training schedule.
“The NBBF could not hold any camping in the USA, as they had always done, as the NSC leadership insisted that D’Tigress should camp in Abuja. The Nigerian women are already a month behind the original schedule for their camping. The NBBF is now in panic mode as they watch the African title possibly slip into the hands of countries like Senegal or Mali, who have been in camp for long periods.
“My concern is that a few new players are getting into the team and bringing up the matter of team chemistry. It is better if the players blend before the tournament begins rather than use the first three matches to get to know themselves. The coach has deployed a few things here and there to help the team build up, but like being together on the same court. It’s a tough one psychologically, especially when the players look across and see what the Senegalese are doing.”
The officials said that the NSC’s poor financial standing has made planning for major championships difficult for the NBBF. He disclosed that apart from the African U-18 and U-20 athletics competition starting in Abeokuta this week, the NBBF alone has three international competitions in July and August. “The Women’s U-19 team won their opening game against China on Saturday in the Czech Republic. The NBBF flagship team D”Tigress are billed to start their event in Abidjan by the end of the month, while the men, D’Tigers, will be in Angola in August for Afrobasket men.
“The women’s Afrobasket in Abidjan is the first stage of the qualifiers for the FIBA Women’s World Cup and retaining the trophy will enhance Nigeria’s chances to qualify for the World Cup,” he said.
