Search is on for coach as D'Tigers aim for AfroBasket glory
Go ahead and write this in stone. Nigeria, still searching for their first AfroBasket title, will have one of the most talented squads at the AfroBasket in Tunisia, which is to be played 19-30 August.
LAGOS (AfroBasket 2015) - Go ahead and write this in stone.
Nigeria, still searching for their first AfroBasket title, will have one of the most talented squads at this year's edition of the championship in Tunisia when it is staged 19-30 August.
On what evidence, you may ask?
Just consider the players that have shown up for national team duty for Nigeria in recent years, and their performances.
LET THE COUNTDOWN TO AFROBASKET 2015 Begin! pic.twitter.com/YXNWNiTbrR
— Nigeria Basketball (@NigeriaBasket) May 5, 2015
Yet what is not known is the name of the coach.
Sani Ahmed led the team past Burkina Faso in the qualifiers for AfroBasket 2015 but Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) president Tijani Umar is searching for a new man to lead the team.
"The appointment of coaches into the national teams will be purely based on merit," he said in sunnewsonline.com.
"The NBBF welcomes all those who are interested in helping us achieve our dream of winning the AfroBasket for the first time.
"We're setting standards in the appointment of national team coaches.
"There will be a process of application and interview to enable us have the best hands for the job.
"The AfroBasket is an important championship that deserves our attention."
All hands must be on deck to ensure that we break the jinx of not winning the AfroBasket. - Umar
Even with the uncertainty over the coaching situation, it's impossible not to be excited about Nigeria and their forthcoming AfroBasket campaign.
They are sure to have a big, strong and quick team in Tunisia.
Though they have yet to win the competition, D'Tigers have made plenty of headlines in international basketball in recent times.
At the 2012 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Caracas, Venezuela, Nigeria upset Lithuania and then Greece before defeating the Dominican Republic in a do-or-die clash to reach the London Games.
In 2013, the Nigerians had their moments of brilliance at the AfroBasket in Cote d'Ivoire, but Senegal stunned them 64-63 in the Quarter-Finals and knocked the D'Tigers out of contention for a spot at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Nigeria lost that encounter, despite getting 18 points from Alade Aminu and a game-high four steals from his brother, Al-Farouq.
While the AfroBasket is the priority for Nigeria, the country is also going to play in the Congo 2015 All Africa Games, which will run 4-19 September.
Many of the Nigeria players were due to gather in Abuja at the weekend to start preparing for the event.
"We already have friendly matches and pre-tournament competitions lined up in Europe and in China," Umar said to ngrguardiannews.com, "but we will also have a training tour in the U.S., even though we will camp in Abuja."
FIBA