NBBF shortlists 18 for FIBA Africa Zone-III Qualifiers

The Nigeria Basketball Federation,NBBF, has shortlisted eighteen players to begin preparation ahead the 26th FIBA Africa Championship Zone-III qualifiers slated for Lome , Togo from August 6 through 18 this year.

According to the Secretary General of the NBBF, Francis Gbiri, most of the players were drawn from the All-Stars Game the federation organized earlier this month.

The eighteen players to be tinkered by the duo of Coaches Sani Ahmed of Kano Pillars basketball club and Adeka Daudu of Dodan Warriors basketball club are to begin their preparation from the July 18 in Kaduna .

Kano Pillars has the largest number of invited players, the Nigeria league champion has four players which includes, Abubakar Usman, Ibrahim, Kelvin Nambam and Mattew Omonye; Kada Stars basketball club has three of its players invited for the Zone-III elimination.

They are Yusuf Yakubu, Adeolu Olaiya and Richio Dickson, Ebun Comets.

Union Bank and Royal Hoopers basketball clubs contributed two players and theyare Yomi Joshua, Obumnaeme Onyia, Azuoma Dike, Onyeka Ekpete, Musa Usman and Victor Anthony.

All-Stars Game MVP, Mohammed Bukar was invited from Dodan Warriors, Malik Tella from the Police Baton basketball club of Lagos, Manasseh Achii from Bauchi Nets while the duo of Louis Edem and Stanley Gumut who ply their trade in the Middle East league complete the list of invited players.

The players are expected in camp with their international passports and training kits.

Nigeria will battle for one of the two slots in the zonal qualifiers alongside Togo , Benin Republic , Ghana , Liberia , Burkina Faso and Niger Republic .


Meanwhile,eighteen players are to hit the Kaduna camp of the Nigeria National Under 18 team for Women to commence preparation ahead the FIBA Africa Championship for U18 Women.

The team to coach by the duo of Coaches Adewumi Aderemi and Peter Ahmedu are to pick the best twelve players that will fly the country flag at the Africa junior championship for women holding next month in Cairo , Egypt .

The players were drawn from various teams that participated in the just concluded Nigeria Basketball Federation; NBBF organized Zenith Bank Women Premier League won by First Deepwater basketball club.

Head Coach of the team, Adewumi Aderemi says the bulk of the players are drawn from the nation U16 national team while few outstanding players also get invitation.

The invited players include Blessing Amos; Atunuwa Eva Lillian; Ogahanduku Sharon; Chika Juliet; Igiebor Osaume; Ogah Akpeze; Afimia Joan; Chukwuedo Emmanuela; Mohammed Samira; Eleumuku Sandra; Ugoka Uju and Edema Elo.

Other players who are invited for screening are Ayalogbe Bose; Isioma Okorie; Akanni Yetunde; Udo Marry; Atosu Upe and the league best rebounding player, Uchendu Frank Ijeoma.