By Akeem Lawal
NIGERIA'S senior national male basketball team, D'Tigers won two and lost two matches to place third at the just concluded FIBA Stankovic Continental Champions’ Cup in Beijing, China, Sportsbiz247.blogspot.com reports.
The country's Olympic-bound team on Saturday handed the Chinese men's basketball team their second defeat to make the host country sit at the bottom of the 4-Nation tournament.
The Chinese side had lost 71-79 to Nigeria in the opener on Tuesday and again on Saturday lost 64-74 to the D'Tigers at the tournament's third-place play-off.
France, who beat D'Tigers in the third game Friday, 82-73, claimed the title with a 70-57 victory over Argentina in the final.
D'Tigers' Ike Diogu nicked 17 points as the team out-rebounded the Chinese 41-33 and grabbed 16 offensive rebounds while the host's key player, Yi Jianlian finished with a game-high 20 points, five rebounds and three assists for his side. Dingyan Yuhang and Guo Ailun added 12 apiece.
The D'Tigers technical crew led by America-born Will Voigt are happy with the outing in China and hope to build on the experience as the team move back to the US where other players like the Aminu brothers, Alade and Al-Farouq to continue with their preparation for the Olympics which commences on August 5 in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro.
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