2012 London Olympics Qualifier: Oyedeji Calls For Early Preparation

In a bid to re-enact the winning mentality that helped the D-Tigers to win gold for Team Nigeria at the just concluded All Africa Games in Maputo Mozambique, captain of the team, Olumide Oyedeji, has called for early camping for the team ahead of their 2012 London Olympics qualifiers.

The D’Tigers were unable to secure their Olympic qualification at the recently concluded 2011Afrobasket held in Madagascar.

The Ayo Bakare-led team failed to win the tourney, a feat that would have secured them the sole automatic ticket available at the championship.

D’Tigers finished third in Madagascar behind Angola and the eventual winner,Tunisia,who quaranteed their qualification for the Olympics. This feat only qualified them for another 12-nation qualifying series that will involve teams from America, Europe and Asia.

Speaking on the need to start preparation in earnest for the 12-nation Olympics qualifiers, former Orlando Magic player, Oyedeji, said for them not to disappoint their teeming fans and qualify the country for the Games the players should be called into camp weeks ahead of the tourney.

He said: “Winning the Maputo gold for Team Nigeria has really raised hopes for the game in the country.We don’t intend to spoil the limelight we are enjoying presently by failing to make the London Olympics Games. Hence, I will enjoin the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, to ensure we begin preparation early enough for the tournament.”

The towering slamming and dunking player stated that the challenges ahead of them to win one of the four tickets available at the 12-nation tournament are enormous, adding that they will be playing against countries that are renowned in the game.

“Playing and winning the All Africa Games is a different ball game compared to the qualifying series. It’s going to be tough as we will be playing against the likes of ithuania, Greece, Russia, Puerto Rico and other yet to be determined Asian countries.

“ We (players) know what is at stake and we are ready to go out there and put in our best to qualify Nigeria for London, irrespective of who we are grouped with. But for us to win the qualification ticket we will need to be camped early enough, at least for a month, for us to perfect our strategies and get in great shape for the tourney,” he said.

Oyedeji disclosed that the preparation they had ahead of the 2011Afrobasket in Madagascar and A.A.G in Maputo, was never enough. He said it was sheer determination of the players that got them the gold they won at the Pan Africa Games.

The qualifying tournament will feature 12 nations from each of the five 2011 FIBA zone qualifying tournaments.

They are Angola and Nigeria from FIBA Africa; the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Venezuela from FIBA Americas (bronze medalist and fourth- and fifth-place finishers); two from FIBA Asia (silver and bronze medalists); Russia, F.Y.R. of Macedonia, Lithuania and Greece fom FIBA Europe (bronze medalists, and the fourth- through sixth-place finishers) and New Zealand from FIBA Oceania.

The top three finishing teams will qualify for the 2012 London Olympics.

—Bamidele Olowosagba