Final D’Tigers and D’Tigress Tokyo Olympic squads announced

All is now set for the rescheduled 2020 Olympic Games as the coaches of the national basketball teams, D’Tigers and D’Tigress, have released their final 12-man rosters.

After about a month 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 also selected in the final 12-man roster.

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

The team, which recorded two famous wins against 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.

Read Also: Tokyo Olympics: D’Tigers ranked higher than group foes Italy, Germany

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

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

For the women’s team, all eyes will be on Adaora Elonu, Aisha Balarabe, Elizabeth Balogun, Promise Amukamara, Atonye Nyingifa, Ezinne Kalu, Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpannah and Ify Ibekwe at the Olympics ahead of their first game against USA on the 27th of July.

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 resumed Olympics camping in February and played series of tune-up games as they are set to face USA, France and host-Japan at the Games proper.

The five months training till date remains the longest in the history of basketball preparation.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now