13th May, 2013
Barely 7 days before Nigeria’s senior national team, D’Tigers begin camping in Lagos for the 2013 Afrobasket holding in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire, captain of the team, Olumide Oyedeji has predicted a good out for the team.
Oyedeji, who led the D’Tigers to their maiden Olympics in London, while speaking with P.M.NEWS Sports in Lagos on Saturday said he is optimistic of D’Tigers surpassing their third place finish at the last edition of the biennial championship held in Madagascar in 2011.
On why it took so long for the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, to begin camping for the tourney that will dunk off in Abidjan in August, the 32-year-old player said: “I don’t believe it is late for us to start camping on 19 May with the local players. No team have begun camping for the tournament. I believe with the camping starting next week we can still produce a team that could be as formidable as the team that went to the London Olympics.”
Oyedeji, who currently plays in Japan for Link Tochigi Brex, while commenting on the chances of any local players making D’Tigers’ team to Abidjan said: “I think if any of them is good enough and able to prove himself during the camping he will be part of the team. I was a local player when I made the national team in 1997. I don’t see any reason why any of the local talents cannot make the team to Abidjan.”
He however, informed that his annual basketball foundation tagged: ‘Olumide Oyedeji Basketball Camp’ will debut in Orlando, Florida, USA and London next month, adding that the Nigeria leg will begin in Rivers State in June.