D’Tigers camp will open on Saturday, 20, August in Abidjan as the team starts preparation for window four of the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers. The team’s head coach, Mike Brown, disclosed this became necessary to address the slow starts in the first two windows when the team lost to Cape Verde.

Disclosing this to the Nigeria Basketball Federation media department on Wednesday, Brown said knowing the task ahead in its quest to qualify for the world cup, the team needs to get more training under their belt before they face host- Cote d’Ivoire on Friday, 26 at the 3,500 capacity Palais des Sports Treichville.

“We are trying to get there earlier to see whether we can have a few more practices to see whether we can get ready to perform at a little higher level in game one. In the last window, things were put together at the last second and we went there right before the first game”.

He is optimistic that early preparation will make a difference when his players step on the court for their first game.

“Hopefully, with us getting there a little earlier, getting three or four practices under our belt, it will show a little bit of difference when it comes to playing the games”, Brown said.

Currently fourth on the table, D’Tigers will play its opener against host- Cote d’Ivoire on Friday, 26 before facing Guinea a day after. On Sunday, 28 August, the team will square up against Angola. The 2023 world cup takes place from 25 August to 10 September in Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Signed

NBBF Media Department

Two goals by deadball expert Emmanuel Michael and a glancing header by Abubakar Idris Abdullahi condemned the U17 boys of Cote d’Ivoire to a 1-3 defeat in the first semi final of the ongoing WAFU B U17 Championship in Cape Coast, Ghana.

Yet, the Eaglets uncharacteristically conceded first when Yan Diomande scored from the penalty spot in the very first minute after a foul in the Nigerian box.

The Nigerian boys launched onslaught after onslaught and were rewarded on the half-hour mark when Emmanuel Michael, who scored a spectacular goal from a 22-yard free-kick in the opening match against hosts Ghana, found the range off another free-kick from the right wing.

Thirteen minutes later, Nigeria were ahead for the first time in the encounter when Michael, again from a free kick at the edge of the box, blindsided goalkeeper Mohamed Cisse with an intelligent attempt that swept past the static wall.

The Ivorians came into the second half determined to browbeat the Eaglets with their size and stoutness, but they were pegged further back on the hour mark when Abubakar Idris Abdullahi found the net with a glancing header.

Four minutes later, the Ivorians were down to 10 men after Makhete Moustapha N’diaye was shown the red card.

Another free-kick by Emmanuel Michael in the 77^th minute missed target narrowly, and Precious Tonye Williams came very close with four minutes left after a brilliant team move set him up with a clear chance.

In Friday’s final, the Eaglets will take on the winner of the second semi final between hosts Ghana and Burkina Faso. However, victory over the Ivorians means they will be one of the eight participating teams at next year’s Africa U17 Cup of Nations in Algeria.

Defender and deadball prodigy Emmanuel Michael was presented with the Man-of-the-Match award, for the third consecutive match.     

Photo Credit: Black @ 442 Back Image

Flying Eagles winger Ibrahim Mohammed Beji has assured football lovers back home in Nigeria that the team remains committed to achieving their goal at the ongoing WAFU U-20 Zone B championship as they prepare to take on the Young Elephants in the semifinals.

The Maikunkele FC attacker who is Nigeria’s top scorer in the competition stated that a game against Ivory Coast won’t be easy but the boys have seen clips of their games and would be prepared for the challenge on Tuesday.

“I am excited with our progress here in Niamey, we have crossed the first hurdle which is to qualify from the group and now we must take it further by going past the Les Petits Elephants in the semifinals tomorrow.

“We are aware of the threat they will bring, they won two games in their group and that’s enough for us to be wary of them, but as Nigerians, we remain determined to win and scale through to the finals of the competition.

When asked about his goalscoring prowess at the competition, the Eagle’s number 11 stated that it doesn’t matter who scores for the team but would always give his all on and off the field of play.

The Ladan Bosso led boys would take on the Young Elephants in the second semifinals on Tuesday evening with the winner of the tie advancing to the AFCON U-20 Championship proper in Egypt next year.