Nigeria’s men’s senior national basketball team, D’Tigers have left for China for the final phase of their 2019 FIBA World Cup preparation on borrowed funds.
The team’s General Manager, Musa Adamu revealed this to Brila.net that the team had to wait for the president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Musa Kida, to return from Senegal where he went to cheer the D’Tigress to their fourth African title before they could leave.
“First of all, I would like to thank the President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, Engineer Musa Kida specially for again making our trip possible and to participate at the World Cup. Without him and the support of the federation, this would have been a different story altogether,” he said.
With many wondering whether the much anticipated financial intervention by the Federal Government has come, Kida said the federation had to internally source for funds through loans.
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Speaking, Kida said that NBBF cannot afford to allow Nigeria who became the first country in the world to qualify for the world cup to miss out or go to China as mere participants.
“The journey has not been easy due to delay in the release of funds by the Federal Government. The federation has bent backwards once again to ensure that we do what we need to do to save Nigeria from global embarrassment by missing the World Cup.”
Kida expressed optimism that the Federal Government will intervene and rescue the team and the federation financially before the competition commences.
“We are trying to internally generate funds from sponsorships, but before then, the government must support us. The national teams are national property which must be catered for by the government.”
Kida said the recent achievement of the D’Tigress and the heroic welcome they received from Nigerians after winning the 2019 FIBA AfroBasket in Senegal has continued to encourage the federation to trudge on despite the daunting challenges.
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The coach Alex Nwora-tutored side which has been in camp since July 7 will participate in the Peak Invitational International tournament which dunks off today and end on August 27.
Nigeria will play against fellow World Cup bound Iran, Montenegro before playing Poland in Yangzhou as part of their build ups to the World Cup.
Nigeria will on August 31 kick off their World Cup campaign against Russia while they will also Argentina and Korea in group B.
