Nanterre Basketball of France player, Aminu Abdul Alade and Lawal Olaseni of Scandone AV of Italy have both made a dramatic return to the D’Tigers ahead of this month’s 2019 FIBA World Cup qualifiers holding in Lagos.
Both players who last featured for the senior national teams at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil have been recalled by D’Tigers Head Coach, Alex Nwora for the important games against Mali, Rwanda and Uganda.
The duo will be joined by team captain, Diogu Ikechukwu (Sichun Blue Whales, China) Uzoh Benjamin (CB Caballero De Culican, Mexico), Mbamalu Bryant (CD Vildivia, Chile), Zanna Talib (Ironi Nes-Zion’s, Italy), Emenago Obinna Clinton (Rouen Basket, France) and Mike Efevberha (Beirut Club, Lebanon).
Meanwhile, nine other new faces have also been called and are likely to make their national debut if selected in the final 12 -man team for the third window of the qualifiers.
They are Omoerah Keith Sado (Baerum Basket, Norway), Braxton Ogbueze Jai (Charlotte University, USA), Nwora Jordan (University of Louisville, USA) Agada Caleb Apochi (Prat, Spain) and Okosun Augustine Obehioye (Sameji, Dominican Republic).
Others are London based Jesse Adekoya, Attah AbdulAziz (JeanD Brebeau, Canada), Mehinti Tosin Idowu (Lavrio, Greece) and Moses Kingsley (Antwerp Giants, Belgium).
To adequately prepare the team for the task ahead, D’Tigers will play four friendlies against Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon and Benin Republic.
The first two games will be against Cote d’Ivoire in Abidjan on June 23 and 24, while they will face Gabon and Republic of Benin on the 26th and 27th respectively.
The team will start its campaign against on the 29th at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos.