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D’Tigers coach, Mike Brown, announces 20-man list for Afrobasket qualifiers

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A 20-man provisional list has been released by D’Tigers new coach, Mike Brown, for the 2021 Afrobasket qualifiers slated for Kigali, Rwanda between 27th and 29th, November.

Brown, who will officially start his voyage with Nigeria, submitted the list featuring seven players who featured at the 2019 FIBA World Cup where Nigeria qualified for the Olympics in Tokyo.

Captain Ike Diogu will lead the legion which includes 29-year-old Stan Okoye (Gran Canaria), Ben Uzoh, Ike Iroegbu, Talib Zanna, Ekpe Udoh and Michael Eric.

2015 NBA winner with Golden State Warriors, Festus Ezeli is also among the squad for a chance to represent Nigeria for the first time ever.

After missing the final 12-man team to the World Cup, France-based Ike Nwamu will make another return to the team alongside Tonye Jekiri, Christopher Obekpa, Braxton Ogbueze, Mike Efevberha, Obinna Emegano, who at some point featured during the team’s 2019 qualifiers series.

Read Also: ‘It’s been an honour serving Nigeria’ – D’Tigers captain Diogu eyes retirement

Chima Moneke who has averaged 12.3pts and 5.8rebs in 4 games for Orléan in the French league has also been called up for the first time alongside Zaid Christopher Hearst-Okpalannaka who plies his trade in the second tier of the French league.

Other new faces who will hope to earn their first cap include Real Betis powerforward, Obi Enechionyia alongside Ogbunu John and Rasheed Sulaimon who play for Casademont Zaragoza

FULL LIST

1. Stan Okoye, Small Forward, Club Baloncesto Gran Canaria (Spain)

2. Ikechukwu Nwamu, Shooting Guard, Cholet (France)

3. Ike Iroegbu, Point Guard, Capital City Go-Go (NBA G League, USA)

4. Talib Zanna, Centre, Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C (Israel)

5. Chima Moneke, Power Forward Orléans Loiret Basket (France)

6. Obinna Enechionyia, Power Forward, Real Betis (Spain)

7. Micheal Gbinije, Shooting Guard, BC Nevėžis (Lithuania)

8. Obi Emegano, Shooting Guard, Baloncesto Fuenlabrada (Spain)

9. Mike Efevberha, Shooting Guard, JA Vichy-Clermont Métropole (France)

10. Michael Eric, Centre, Turk Telekom Basketball (Turkey)

11. Tonye Jekiri, Centre, Club Deportivo Saski-Baskonia (Spain)

12. Rasheed Sulaimon, Shooting Guard, Casademont Zaragoza (Spain)

13. Zaid Hearst-Okpalannaka, Shooting Guard, Antibas (France)

14. Ekpe Udoh, Centre

15. Ben Uzoh, Point Guard

16. Christopher Obekpa, Centre

17. Ike Diogu, Centre

18. Braxton Ogbuezue, Guard

19. Festus Ezeli, Centre

20. John Ogbunu

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