Tokyo Olympics: Nigeria name final squads for basketball teams

The final list of players to represent Nigeria in the men’s and women’s basketball events at the Tokyo Olympics has been released.

D’Tigers and D’Tigress coaches made their final choice of 12 players each on Tuesday.

After about a month of camping exercise in Sacramento and Las Vegas, D’Tigers head coach, Mike Brown, selected Josh Okogie (Minnesota Timberwolves), Miami Heat’s trio of Gabe Vincent, KZ Okpala and Precious Achiuwa.

Jahlil Okafor (Detroit Pistons), Miye Oni (Utah Jazz) are all in line to make their debut for Nigeria after they were selected in the final 12 man roster.

Jordan Nwora (Milwaukee Bucks) will join Caleb Agada (Hapoel Be’er Sheva), Obi Emegano (Fuenlabrada, Spain), Chimezie Metu (Sacramento Kings) and Ike Nwamu (Samara, Russia).

The team which recorded two famous wins against the USA (World number 1) and Argentina (number 4) before a loss to Australia in their last tune-up game will also include Ekpe Udoh who just completed a move to Virtus Bologna in the Italian Serie A.

According to the latest power ranking compiled by analysts, D’Tigers are rated fourth on the power ranking with just a week to the commencement of the basketball event.

D’Tigers are grouped against Italy, Australia and Germany.

For the D’Tigress, Adaora Elonu, Aisha Balarabe, Elizabeth Balogun, Promise Amukamara, Atonye Nyingifa, Ezinne Kalu, Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpannah and Ify Ibekwe all made the cut.

Coach Otis Hughley who led the team to the 2019 Afrobasket win in Senegal also picked Oderah Chidom, Victoria Macaulay, Erica Ogwumike and Amy Okonkwo to complete the list of D’Tigress team heading to the Oriental city of Tokyo.

The four players are in line to make their competitive debut for Nigeria at the games.

D’Tigress started their Olympics preparations in February and played series of tune-up games as they prepare to face the USA, France and host-Japan in the Olympics proper.

According to the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), the five-month training for the ladies is the longest ever undertaken in the history of the women’s team.