SAN FRANCISCO, November 17, (THEWILL) – The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has revealed that it will open the final camp for D’Tigers on Monday, November 23 for the 2021 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Afrobasket qualifiers.
Afolabi-Oluwayemi Olabisi, the Secretary-General of the NBBF, who made this known said the players are expected to fly into Kigali for camp.
On his part, Ahmadu Musa Kida, the NBBF President, explained how the Federation took prevailing factors into consideration to see to it that the camp will open four days before the team’s first game.
“A longer camping period would have been the best option for the team. It would have enabled the boys to have enough time to blend under Coach Mike Brown.
“Some of the players are preparing for the new season with their clubs while some are actively involved in the Euro League, so we cannot snatch them away for long.”
The NBBF president also candidly rationalised how the financial implication on the federation also discouraged an extended final camping exercise.
“We have to be honest with ourselves as a federation. Funding is a key determinant for most of our plans and programmes. According to the popular saying, ‘Cut your coat according to your cloth.’
“But, for us at the federation, it is cutting our cost according to our cloth. Maybe in the future, when our financial fortunes improve, we can camp players for as long as necessary.”
After a series of mini-scouting, the technical crew has invited a crop of players to camp from which 12 will make the final team. D’Tigers is grouped alongside hosts – Rwanda, Mali, and Algeria, who recently withdrew from the qualifiers taking place from November 27 to 29 in Kigali.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
