Despite the fact that not all D Tigers will be at the Stankovic Cup in China there is no doubt that Nigeria's aim is to win it and reinforce the fact that the power in Africa has shifted from almighty Angola to West Africa.
Africa has been represented in past tournaments by Angola and Tunisia with Angola joining Slovenia as the only two teams that have won the tournament twice since its inception in 2005.
Angola has featured six times in the championship winning it in 2008 and 2011 [read more]
Despite the fact that not all D Tigers will be at the Stankovic Cup in China there is no doubt that Nigeria's aim is to win it and reinforce the fact that the power in Africa has shifted from almighty Angola to West Africa.
Africa has been represented in past tournaments by Angola and Tunisia with Angola joining Slovenia as the only two teams that have won the tournament twice since its inception in 2005.
Angola has featured six times in the championship winning it in 2008 and 2011. Slovenia won it in 2007 and 2010.
The Stankovic Cup will hold in two Chinese cities of Lanzhou and Guangzhou. The FIBA Stankovic Continental Champions Cup is an international basketball tournament for mens national teams organized annually by basketball world governing body, FIBA.
The idea for the tournament came from President of FIBA, Carl Men Ky Ching, and the purpose of the cup was to honour FIBA Secretary General Emeritus, Serbian Borislav Stankovic, for his significant contribution to basketball.
Other nations expected to feature in the tournament include Argentina, Australia, China, Germany, and Serbia.
As we know after much delay that Nigerian Basketball Federation did the right thing and reappointed veteran coach Ayo Bakare as the head coach of D Tigers in late May. He had earlier submitted his letter of resignation after being instrumental in leading Nigeria on her amazing Olympic run
The newly re-elected President of the Federation, Tijani Umar, said then that there was no sentiment applied in the selection of the national team coache.
We agree [read more]
As we know after much delay that Nigerian Basketball Federation did the right thing and reappointed veteran coach Ayo Bakare as the head coach of D Tigers in late May. He had earlier submitted his letter of resignation after being instrumental in leading Nigeria on her amazing Olympic run The newly re-elected President of the Federation, Tijani Umar, said then that there was no sentiment applied in the selection of the national team coache. We agree. We are bringing continuity, sustainability, and people who have tremendous belief in the country. Coaches are not chosen on sentiment but what they can bring to the table, he said. Superfluous when you talk about Bakare. They key issue here is what else has the NBBF done behind the scenes to smoothen Bakares ruffled feathers? Have they been able to offer more help both in terms of funds and technical help to the coach who was so unhappy he quit while he could have continuously basked in the spot light of the London success? Hopefully. Hopefully because as the AfroBasket tournament approaches be rest assured that the best in Africa are preparing seriously and that Nigeria will be the team to beat. If you dont believe me ask the current African champion. Which means Nigeria will be unable to pull of any surprises and will have to earn each win point by point. Nigeria is in group-D alongside Cameroon, Republic of Congo and Mali all capable of tripping the D Tigers. Right now we are told Bakare is retooling the team by adding and subtracting new pieces. The other million Naira question now is that in a totally football crazy country will the up till now partial help even if improved that many consider just to be mere first-aid, be enough to help her climb to the summit of African basketball glory? By re hiring Bakare there is no doubt that she is one step closer, it though now remains to be seen if it will be enough.
The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has released a list of fifteen players for the 2013 edition of the FIBA Stankovic Cup billed for June 26 through July 10 in China.
The fifteen players according to a release by the secretariat of the Nigeria basketball body is made up of ten foreign-based and the five home-based selected recently in the first camping exercise held in Abuja [read more]
The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has released a list of fifteen players for the 2013 edition of the FIBA Stankovic Cup billed for June 26 through July 10 in China.
The fifteen players according to a release by the secretariat of the Nigeria basketball body is made up of ten foreign-based and the five home-based selected recently in the first camping exercise held in Abuja.
The NBBF gave the players names as team captain Olumide Oyedeji co-captain Ike Diogu, Ben Uzoh, Richard Oruche, Stan Okoye, Abubakar Usman, Michael Ohiero, Stanley Gumut, Abdulwahab Yahaya, Solomon Alabi, Deji Egbeyemi, Nkem Ojougboh, Kingsley Oguchi, Ehimen Orukpe amd Kelechi Anuna.
We want to use the Stankovic Cup to set the tune ahead the 27th Afrobasket and we can conveniently say here that winning the Afrobasket is our ultimate as more players whom we have left out of this invitational tournament will join the team soon.
The Stankovic Cup which will hold in two Chinese cities of Lanzhou and Guangzhou will afford our players especially the home-based the opportunity to be exposed to modern facilities which the team will use for training before to the United States of America.
Some players who are committed to the national team for the Afrobasket have been allowed to team up with the team in July after the Stankovic Cup to enable them sort out contractual issues and try outs with NBA teams during the period opined NBBF Head of Media, Patrick Omorodion.
The FIBA Stankovic Continental Champions Cup is an international basketball tournament for mens national teams organized annually by basketball world governing body, FIBA. The idea for the tournament came from President of FIBA, Carl Men Ky Ching, and the purpose of the cup was to honour FIBA Secretary General Emeritus, Serbian Borislav Stankovic, for his significant contribution to basketball.
Other nations expected to feature in the tournament include Argentina, Australia, China, Germany, and Serbia.
Africa has been represented in past tournaments by Angola and Tunisia with Angola joining Slovenia as the only two teams that had won the tournament twice since its inception in 2005.
Tunisia finished third at the 2012 edition, while Angola has featured six times in the championship, with the Southern Africa nation winning it in 2008 and 2011. Slovenia won it in 2007 and 2010.
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