Nigeria’s males’s basketball workforce, D’Tigers, has introduced a 12-man squad for the opening window of the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup African qualifiers, marking a decisive step within the nation’s bid to reclaim its continental standing after years of turbulence.
Head coach Abdulrahman Mohammed confirmed the roster forward of the workforce’s departure to Tunis, the place Nigeria will open its Group C marketing campaign on Thursday in opposition to hosts Tunisia. The group additionally contains Rwanda and Guinea, whom D’Tigers will face on November 29 and 30.
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The squad options skilled campaigners similar to Stan Okoye, Ike Nwamu, and Talib Zanna, alongside rising home and worldwide skills together with Olisa Akonobi, Jordan Ogundiran, and Morris Udeze. The mix of youth and expertise is seen as a deliberate technique by the technical crew to stabilize the workforce and construct momentum early within the qualification sequence.
Full Squad:
Olisa Akonobi, Paul Dibal, Chingka Garba, Morris Udeze, Mike Nuga, Ike Nwamu, Christopher Obekpa, Jordan Ogundiran, Augustine Okafor, Stan Okoye, Ugo Simon, Talib Zanna.
The Nigeria Basketball Federation described the workforce as “locked and loaded” for the problem forward, stressing that this qualification window provides a pivotal alternative to rebuild confidence and consistency. Nigeria, at the moment ranked eighth in Africa, is focusing on a return to the worldwide stage after lacking the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
The African qualifiers, which run from November 2025 to March 2027, will see 16 Afrobasket groups compete in a rigorous double round-robin format. With solely 5 African tickets obtainable for the World Cup in Doha, D’Tigers face an arduous path: the highest three from every first-round group progress to the second part, the place outcomes carry over and solely the highest two groups from every of the ultimate teams — plus the perfect third-placed aspect — safe qualification.
For Nigeria, the mission begins with securing early wins in Tunis to keep away from the strain that derailed earlier campaigns. The workforce’s final World Cup look got here in 2019, the place they exited within the first spherical, and their failure to qualify for the 2023 version stays a painful reminder of latest instability.
A robust begin in Group C may sign a long-awaited revival for D’Tigers as they give the impression of being to re-establish themselves amongst Africa’s basketball elite and return to the world stage in 2027.
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The publish D’Tigers Set for Tunis Take a look at as Nigeria Unveils 12-Man Squad for 2027 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.
