Coach Bakare Sure of Nigeria Qualification.

Head coach of Nigeria senior men national team, Ayo Bakare, is confident that Nigeria will make it from the Olympic Qualification Tournament slated for second through eight of July, in Caracas, Venezuela.

Speaking at the close of the 3-Day first phase camping at the national stadium, surulere, Lagos at the weekend, Coach Bakare optimism stem from how the 14 home-based players called to the 3-Day camping responded to training with a positive mind-set.

He said about eight home based basketball players would make the final preparation for the  for the Olympic Qualification Tournament with at least four of them making it to Venezuela following their pefomances in camp.

The coach who qualified Nigeria for it maiden FIBA World Championship outing in 1998 is in the threshold of making another history as Nigeria chase it first outing in the men basketball event of the Olympic Games.

Coach Bakare took over the reign of Nigeria men national team with few days left to the 26th Afrobasket in 2011 in Madagascar and earn an Olympic qualification slot with a third place finish at the Africa basketball show-piece after two dismal outings in 2007 (Angola) and 2009 (Libya).

The Nigeria national team tactician applauded the coming of DStv (SuperSport) into the Nigeria league that the partnership has yielded positive result.

“If fund permit us to run our programme at full cause I have no doubt that Nigeria will be among the 12 finalists at the Basketball Event of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

“I must praise the home-based players for responding to training positively and the full cooperation of the coaching which is made of me (Bakare) Sani Ahmed and Ayinla Johnson.

“I can beat my chest and say confidently that Nigeria will rule the Africa scene from the next Afrobasket whether I’m in charge, I say this because of the goal laid down which will make easy for any coach to follow and improve on.

“The coming of DStv/SuperSport (MultiChoice) into the Nigeria basketball scene has really changed the face of Nigerian basketball and I can confidently say that home-based players can form the bulk of our national team with proper planning and exposure which must include foreign training tours.