By Akeem Lawal
NIGERIA'S senior national male basketball team, D'Tigers
will hope to bounce back from the 71-49 points defeat to Argentina in their
second game of the ongoing FIBA Stankovic Continental Champions’ Cup in Beijing,
China when they take on France in the third game on Friday.
The coach Will Voigt side without their regular stars,
had defeated host country, China by 79-71 points in the opening game on Tuesday
and were expected to build on the victory in their second game. However the
African champions met a more determined Argentine side in Wednesday’s encounter.
The score line at halftime was 33-33, but the game took
another dimension as turnovers, open missed shots, and defensive breakdowns became
the theme for D'Tigers as they allowed the South Americans to run away with the
22 points margin victory.
Santa Cruz Warriors Shooting guard, Onyenma Daniel
Nwaelele was the leading scorer with 9 points, Hekmeh Power
forward, Ekene Ibekwe had seven points, while Shenzhen Leopards Power forward /
Center, Ike Diogu had six points.
MVP at the 2015 Afro Basket Championship and Anwil
Włocławek of Poland Shooting guard, Chamberlain Oguchi, Ironi Nahariya of
Israel Shooting guard, Michael Umeh had 5 points each, while Capitanes de
Arecibo of Puerto Rican small forward, Ebi Ere and Virtus Roma of Italy Power
forward, Jamal Olasewere had 4 points.
Hapoel Migdal HaEmek forward, Andy Ogide and former NBA
point guard, Ben Uzoh had 3 and 2 points respectively.
Nigeria will now take on France who defeated both Argentina
by 64 – 57 points and China by 63-48 in the last round in the Cup, while China
will face Argentina.
The competition is part of the training programme to
prepare the African Champions for the Olympic Games which commences on August 5
in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro.
The Stanković Cup is an international basketball
tournament for men's national teams held annually in China by the International
Basketball Federation (FIBA).
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