D’Tigers begin preparation with Canada, Dominican Republic friendlies

Nigeria’s national basketball team, D’Tigers will begin the final phase of their preparation for the 2019 FIBA World Cup with grade A friendlies against Dominican Republic and Canada.

According to the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), D’Tigers will play a two-legged game against Dominican Republic in Santo Domingo between July 19 and 25 before playing Canada in Quebec and Ontario between August 5 and 11, 2019.

The NBBF said the D’Tigers would open camp in the United States of America before moving to Canada.

Lagos, Nigeria will be venue of the final phase of preparation with NBBF already in advanced talks with a yet to be named World Cup bound team for a two-legged friendly.

NBBF President, Musa Kida disclosed that the federation is determined to give the team the best preparation that it can afford to ensure that the team does the nation proud in China when the World cup starts on the 31st of August.

He said, “We have locked down two grade A games with Dominican Republic and Canada who will both be at the World Cup. These games alongside those we are still planning to organize when the team comes to Lagos, we believe, will provide quality tests for the team.”

Kida revealed that though the choices of camp sites in the USA and Canada have not been made due to factors such as quality of facilities, playing personnel and most importantly funds, agreements had been concluded with the Canadian and Dominican Republic Basketball Federations for the games.

Meanwhile, the team is also billed to participate in a friendly tournament featuring some teams that will take part in the Mundial in China between August 21 and 26.

The team coached by Alex Nwora is drawn in Group B alongside Argentina, Russia and Korea with all its group games to be played in Wuhan. The 2019 FIBA World Cup will hold from August 30 to September 16, 2019.