After initially announcing their withdrawal from the Afrobasket qualifiers due to financial constraints, Nigeria’s D’Tigers have had a change of plans, landing in Tunisia for the tournament.
The team’s arrival at the competition venue was confirmed through a brief clip posted on their official X account. This turnaround comes after D’Tigers cited a “lack of funds from the government” as the reason for their initial withdrawal.
Reports had indicated that the players had yet to receive their flight tickets to Tunisia, where the first window of the qualification tournament is being held. However, shortly after the withdrawal announcement, John Enoh, the Minister of Sports, intervened, leading to arrangements being made to ensure Nigeria’s participation.
In response to the situation, tournament organizers rescheduled D’Tigers’ first game from 2 pm to 8 pm to accommodate the adjustments. Additionally, the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has released the roster of participating players, including notable names such as Michael Okiki, Johnson Anaiye, Victor Eze, and others.
D’Tigers find themselves in Group B alongside Cape Verde, Uganda, and Libya as they vie for a spot in next year’s Afrobasket tournament. Their campaign kicks off with a match against Libya on Friday at 8 pm, followed by encounters with Uganda and Cape Verde on subsequent days.
