Olympic Qualifying Tourney: Nigeria’s D’Tigers In Tough Group

The hope of Nigeria’s senior basketball team, D’Tigers of participating in their first Olympic Games outing at this year’s world championship in London looked more elusive yesterday as they were drawn in a tough group in the last qualifying tournament.

The D’Tigers, coached by Ayo Bakare to the last Afrobasket, where they finished third to qualify for the tourney, were drawn in Group B alongside hosts,Venezuela and Europe’s third best team, Lithuania. The championship will dunk off from 2-8 July, in Caracas, Venezuela.

Angola, who are Africa’s other representatives in the tourney, were drawn in Group C with Macedonia and Korea Republic.

Reacting to Nigeria’s chances of making it out of the group, coach Bakare said: “We are going to prove bookmakers wrong. We’ll not only make it out of the tough group, but also qualify for the Olympic Games in London.”

Twelve nations will fight for three slots at the qualifying tourney. The Olympic Games hold in London between 26 July through 12 August, 2012.

—Bamidele Olowosagba