RELIEVE: D'Tigers get FIBA AfroCan’s wild card, draw Angola
Nigeria had missed out on the automatic ticket to the Championship after they lost to host Cote D’Ivoire by 74-65 points in the combined FIBA Africa Zone 2 and 3 Qualifiers in Abidjan on Sunday night.
By Olusola Adebayo
The home-based Nigeria Basketball men's team, D'Tigers have been given the last wild card slot to participate at the 2023 African Basketball Championship ( Afrocan) scheduled to hold in Luanda the Angolan capital between the 8th and 16th of this month.
Nigeria had missed out on the automatic ticket to the Championship after they lost to host Cote D’Ivoire by 74-65 points in the combined FIBA Africa Zone 2 and 3 Qualifiers in Abidjan on Sunday night.
D'Tigers need to win the final game to start a chance of automatic qualification but it was not meant to be as the host country takes full advantage of the home court and pick the sole ticket in the zone.
The first quarter ended 19-17 in favoufavorhe the host while at half time it was 36-36 but the Ivorian opened a five points lead at the close of the third quarter 56-51 before sealing the game at 74-65 points.
For finishing second in the Qualifiers, FIBA gave the final wild card slot to Nigeria, a huge relief for the team after they mounted a challenge for the ticket in the final game.
Meanwhile, the team has been drawn into the same group with powerhouses Angola and Mali in group B.
Gabon, who grabbed the second wild card was grouped along with Cote d'Ivoire, and Kenya in Group A.
Here are the groups at a glance as announced by FIBA.
Group A
Cote D’Ivoire
Kenya
Gabon
Group B
Angola
Nigeria
Mali
Group C
Morocco
Tunisia
Rwanda
Group D
Cameroon
DR Congo
Mozambique
