D’Tigers open camp with 16 players

In a bid to better it 5th placement at the 25th edition of the African Cup of Nations also known as Afrobasket for Men the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has mapped out a 3-day preparatory exercise for the nation’s senior national team, D’Tigers with mixture of home-based players and few other who ply their trade in the Middle East and other part of the continent.

The camp which will be conducted by the two coaches who qualified Nigeria for the continent biggest basketball showpiece, Coaches Sani Ahmed and Adeka Daudu has sixteen players.

The players conprises reigning DStv Premier Basketball League most valuable player, Abubakar Usman of Kano Pillars basketball club also includes Ibrahim Yusuf, Mathew Omonya and Onyeka Okeke from the Pillars, Kada Stars basketball club of Kaduna has Abubakar Yusuf and Abdulwahab Yahaya while Abel Baraya was called up from relegated Plateau Peaks basketball club of Jos.

Three Royal Hoopers basketball club of Port Harcourt made the call-up to the Abuja camp of D’Tigers they include, Michael Ohiero, Musa Usman and Azuoma Dike; Mohammed Bukar made the list from Dodan Warriors basketball club of Lagos; Orseer Ikyaator from Comets basketball club of Lagos and Onyeka Ekpete from Union Bank basketball club of Lagos.

The three included players who play professional basketball in the Middle East and other parts of Africa are Stanley Gumut (Libya); Edem Ekpeyong (Kuwait) and Boniface Synasius.

The players are to have two practice session daily between June 2 and 4 at the sports hall of the Abuja national stadium.