Basketball
NIGERIA’S D’TIGERS TURNED ARGENTINA’S STEPPING STONE INTO FIBA WORLD CUP 2ND PHASE
After the Day 3 of the ongoing FIBA World Cup in China, six countries have already booked their places in the second group phase of the International Basketball Federation World Cup.
Among them are Argentina and Russia, both
using the Nigerian team as launch pads into the next round after they both beat
the D’Tigers and also South Korea.
Their qualification along with that of four other teams was owing to two consecutive victories in their group games.
While the Russian team was stretched to almost breaking point before beating Nigeria on Saturday, the Argentines proved too strong for Nigeria on Mondayrecording a 94-81 victory.
However, Argentina forward, Patrico Garino, according to insidethegames, have some complimentary remarks about the D’Tigers.
“They are huge and athletic. We knew that it was going to be fast paced.
“We needed to stop their first breaks. We did a great job by listening to the coaches”.
The fault of the D’Tigers’ according to Garino was that: “Their three-pointer shooting was not good. We controlled the game.”
Other teams in Groups A, C and D also booked places in the second phace.
Serbia, the runners-up behind United States at the last World Cup in Spain in 2014, were among those to advance as they thrashed Philippines 126-67 at the Foshan International Sports and Cultural Center.
Nemanja Bjelica starred for the Europeans, the Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallists, as seven Serbian players scored 10 points or more in the Group D rout.
“Our players did their job,” said Serbia coach Sacha Djordjevic, after guiding his side to a second win in as many games.
“The next game is going to be the more crucial one, so we’re preparing our players for that.
“Bjelica coming back is also a very good sign for us.”
Italy also qualified from Group D thanks to their second win, a 92-61 success over Angola.
In Group C, Olympic bronze medallists and 2006 world champions Spain defeated Puerto Rico 73-63 at Guangzhou Gymnasium to book their place in the next stage.
Tunisia knocked out Iran by claiming their first win, 79-67, and will now face Puerto Rico for the right to join the Spanish in going through.
Poland got through in Group A as they registered their second victory.
They beat hosts China 79-76 following overtime at Beijing’s Wukesong Arena.
The Chinese and Venezuela both sit on a record of won one, lost one after the South Americans subjected Ivory Coast to a second defeat today with an 87-71 success.
The top two sides in each group will advance to the second group phase.
Musa Kida, the president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), has been appointed as a non-executive chairman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), the country’s apex oil company. His appointment is part of the sweeping overhaul that the Nigerian president, Bola Tinubu made in the first working day after the Sallah break.
The sacking of the board of the NNPC sees the appointment of Bashir Bayo Ojulari as the new Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), replacing Mele Kolo Kyari. Prior to his current appointment, Kida was the Deputy Managing Director, Deep Water Services, of Total Nigeria.
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Basketball
NSC DG Bukola Olopade Congratulates NBBF Boss Musa Kida for new appointment as NNPC Chairman
The Director General of the National Sports Commission NSC, Bukola Olopade, has congratulated the President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, Musa Kida, for his appointment as the new Board Chairman of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Olopade said Musa Kida has been one of Nigeria’s most efficient and Productive Sports administrators who has sacrificed a lot for the growth of Nigerian Basketball.
The DG maintained that his latest appointment is a testament to his years of passion, hard work, dedication and a very successful track record in the oil sector for more than two decades.
” Musa Kida is an accomplished administrator whose achievements cut across both the oil sector and Nigerian basketball. I have no doubt that the NNPC Limited will attain better efficiency and attract more investment under his watch”.
” Under his leadership as the President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, we have seen the steady growth of the country’s basketball and how the National teams have continued to achieve new heights.
” At the last Olympic Games in France, the Nigeria Women’s Basketball team, D’Tigress was one of the shining stories for Team Nigeria, where they set a new record by making it to the knockout phase before losing to the United States”.
” I personally know the efforts behind the scenes that kida put in for Nigeria to achieve that feat with the girls in France and the Nigerian girls have been an unrivalled team on the continent for some time now”.
The DG added that he does not doubt that Musa Kida will use his new position to further earnest the development of Nigerian Sports especially basketball especially now that there is a new focus on growing a sustainable Sports Economy.
” Whilst the Oil sector will benefit immensely from the Expertise of Musa Kida as the new Board Chairman of the NNPC Limited, Mr President, has further helped to place Nigerian Sports in a better pedestal by putting one of us in a very strategic place like the NNPC”, he concluded.
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Basketball
FIBA names Nigeria’s Agada among those who starred the most on the last day of the 2025 AfroBasket Qualifiers
The 16 teams that will be competing at this year’s FIBA AfroBasket from 12-24 August have been confirmed, with some teams securing their places on the final day of qualifying.
A quintet of individuals put in stellar performances to send their teams to this year’s African championship in style.
Teams have 169 days to prepare for the 2025 edition of the AfroBasket set to be hosted by former champions Angola, who will be chasing a record-extending 12th title.
FIBA- Africa looked at the matches and the players and featured nine players who were the stars of the final day on Sunday.
Here is FIBA’s analysis: The return of the Tokyo Olympian has been a blessing for Abdulrahman Mohammed’s Nigeria.
For the second game in a row, Agada was a thorn in their side’s side, scoring 23 points in a convincing 77-62 win over 2021 AfroBasket semifinalists Cape Verde.
The 30-year-old played just over 30 minutes and finished two rebounds shy of a double-double while adding six assists and five steals for an efficiency rating of 29.
Nigeria entered the competition after an 0-3 start, but his disruptive presence on the floor helped them to a 3-0 run to qualify, averaging 19 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists.
The other players highlighted are: Ousmane Drame of Guinea, Karim Maneof Senegal, Childe Dundao of Angola, Siriman Kanoute of Mali, as well as Ntore Habimana (Rwanda) Aliou Fadiala Diarra (Mali) Allan Dokossi (Central African Republic)and Nisre Zouzoua (Cote d’Ivoire)
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