D’Tigers, D’Tigress arrive in Lome for 2018 FIBA 3×3 Africa Cup

Nigeria’s men and women basketball national teams arrived in Lomé, Togo on Thursday for the 2018 FIBA 3×3 Africa Cup, an official has disclosed.

Oni Afolabi, the Media Officer of Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), said in a statement on Thursday that the men’s team was captained by Azouma Dike of Kano Pillars.

He added that the D’Tigers also have the Kano Pillars’ trio of Abdul Yahaya, Lucky Subel and Godwin David.

The federation spokesman said the four home-based players would be joined by their foreign-based counterparts in Lome.

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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the men will hope to defend their title which they won in 2017.

Oni said further that the women’s 3×3 team will hope to tap into the superlative form of Nkechi Akaraiwe who recently scored 32 points, 2 assists and 5 rebounds in a competition.

“Her performance handed First Bank women’s basketball club the 2018 Zenith Bank Basketball Women League.’’

He said Nkem Uwa Akaraiwe, a World Cup debutant and 2018 Zenith Bank Basketball Women’s League Most Valuable Player, was also listed alongside Grace Okonkwo for the team.

“Following her sterling role in the colours of Dolphins, Linda Ijeh, the 2018 3×3 Under-18 African Youth Games’ MVP, was also listed by the team’s coach, Acha Chris,’’ Oni said.

NAN reports that the women side who lost out narrowly to Mali in the 2017 final will hope to go a step further and win the title.

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“Points will be gathered from the competition as part of a prerequisite to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics where 3×3 style of basketball will make a historic debut’’, Oni disclosed.

The media officer said the delegation to Togo was led by Frank Jituboh, the Director of 3×3 Nigeria and Chairman, FCT Basketball Association.