Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, are clearly not oblivious to the difficult task that awaits them at the FIBA World Cup in China.
D’Tigers were the first team in the world to book a spot at the global championships, following their impressive 9-match winning streak which earned them 18 points, with three games left to play in the qualification series.
The Nigerian team finished from group F with 10 wins from 12 games.
All eyes are fixed on the African champions, as the world looks on to see just how prepared the Nigerian team is for what comes next.
The work ahead
With a draw that has placed the team in a ‘group of near death’, one can only hope D’Tigers have their teeth and claws sharpened and ready to successfully fend off the world’s best teams when the championships begin on Saturday, August 31, to Sunday, September 15, 2019.
D’Tigers are in Group B of the 2019 FIBA World Cup alongside Russia, Argentina, and Korea.
Captain Ike Diogu believes that, while the D’Tigers face a tough group, team Nigeria will make history at the world cup.
“It’s the biggest stage for me. I’ve never played in the World Cup so I’m extremely excited to be a part of this and the guys want to make sure we do something special that the continent has not seen.
“All these teams are a threat. We can’t take any of them lightly because they all have the ability to beat us. Argentina is one of the best in the world as is Russia, so we have a very tough task in front of us.”
Featured image source: Brilla