Nigeria’s U18 Basketball Teams Leave for S’Africa Sad but Determined

Nigeria’s Under-18 teams in the boys’ and girls’ categories of the FIBA Africa U18 are billed to leave the country for South Africa on Friday as teams get ready for the tip-off. 

The boys are travelling from Abuja while the young ladies will leave via the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos.

The players, their coaches and the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) officials have expressed their determination to return home with tickets to the World Championship.

Despite the determination of the players, it was learnt that the trip is a low-key budget one for the teams. 

Sources in the federation hinted that NBBF officials have had to scratch all over the country to raise the needed funds for the trip from private sources as they could not get any assistance from the Federal Ministry of Sports Development.

A member of one of the NBBF’s committee who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak said on Wednesday in Abuja that the objective of putting together the team will be met.

“We can’t play with the same set of D’Tigress and D’Tigers forever and so we have to keep building up junior players for the future. 

“Winning the trophy in South Africa, if that happens, can only be a bonus. The objective is to get a lot of our young players exposed and upgraded; We are not doing this programme for immediate results and surely it is continuous,” revealed the top basketball source.

The Nigerian U18 teams got the African tickets after winning the FIBA Africa Zone 3 competition in Abidjan earlier this month while the Olympics was ongoing in Paris. 

Followers of sports in Nigeria had hoped that the team would get some financial support from the sports ministry especially because it is a developmental programme but unfortunately, they are getting no support.

Nigeria is in Group B with Angola, Egypt and Uganda at the 2024 FIBA Africa Men’s U-18 Basketball Championship, which tips off September 2 in Pretoria, South Africa.

The finalists of the FIBA U18 AfroBasket 2024 will represent Africa at next year’s FIBA U-19 Basketball World Cup in Switzerland.

For the girls’ event, Nigeria, Egypt, Uganda and Zimbabwe are in Group C.

LIST OF PLAYERS

BOYS

1. Sulaimon Azeez Olaitan

2. Ojiako Jovan Chiebuka

3. Dan-Mutum Daubuna-Chule Ibrahim

4. kpee Favour Komene

5. Owinje Ohiozojeblake

6. Bassey Ekpo-Effiong

7. Dalhat abdulmalik malik

8. Ezekiel Isaac Oluwatemitope

9. Hart Abraham Boyce

10. Ibe Favour Ikedinachukwu

11. Ike David Ugonna

12. Ajala Chidalu David

GIRLS

1. Hembam Wandoo Marvis

2. Beggi Idubamo Pius

3. Lijirin Doyinsola Modesayor

4. John Patience

5 Umeh Amarachi Blessing

6. Idris Maryam Omotomiwa

7. Sampson Favour Izibefien

8. Iwuji Vivian Chiamaka

9. Ayodeji Haminatu Olanrewaju

10. Shehu Khadijat Garba

11. Tewogbade Mololuwa Ayomide

12. Isaac Abigail

BOYS GROUP DRAW:

Group A:

 Mali

Côte d’Ivoire

Cameroon

Senegal

Group B:

Egypt

Angola

Nigeria

Uganda

Group C:

 South Africa

Morocco

Zambia

Rwanda

GIRLS GROUP DRAW:

Group A:

South Africa

Tunisia

Cameroon

Rwanda

Group B:

 Mali

 Morocco

 Zambia

 Angola

Group C:

 Egypt

Zimbabwe

Uganda

Nigeria