Mike Brown, the new coach of the national basketball team, D’Tigers, on Friday released a 20-man provisional list for the 2021 Afrobasket qualifiers slated for Kigali, Rwanda from Nov. 27 to Nov. 29.
The Media Officer of Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Board, Afolabi Oni, who made the disclosure, said that Brown who would officially start his voyage with Nigeria submitted the list of the players.
“The list features seven players who participated in the 2019 FIBA World Cup where Nigeria qualified for the Olympics in Tokyo.
“The team’s 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.
“The 2015 NBA winner with Golden State Warriors, Festus Ezeli will be on the flight to Rwanda for a chance to represent Nigeria for the first time ever alongside a member of the 2015 Afrobasket winning team, Mike Gbinije,” he said in a statement.
Oni added: “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.
“Also, Christopher Obekpa, Braxton Ogbueze, Mike Efevberha, Obinna Emegano, who at some point featured during the team’s 2019 qualifiers series.
“Chima Moneke who has averaged 12.3 points and 5.8 rebounds in 4 games for Orléan in the French league has also been called up for the first time.
“He, 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 power forward, Obi Enechionyia alongside Ogbunu John and Rasheed Sulaimon who plays for Casademont Zaragoza.”
The full list:
- Stan Okoye, Small Forward, Club Baloncesto Gran Canaria (Spain)
- Ikechukwu Nwamu, Shooting Guard, Cholet (France)
- Ike Iroegbu, Point Guard, Capital City Go-Go (NBA G League, USA)
- Talib Zanna, Centre, Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C (Israel)
- Chima Moneke, Power Forward, Orléans Loiret Basket (France)
- Obinna Enechionyia, Power Forward, Real Betis (Spain)
- Micheal Gbinije, Shooting Guard, BC Nevėžis (Lithuania)
- Obi Emegano, Shooting Guard, Baloncesto Fuenlabrada (Spain)
- Mike Efevberha, Shooting Guard, JA Vichy-Clermont Métropole (France)
- Michael Eric, Centre, Turk Telekom Basketball (Turkey)
- Tonye Jekiri, Centre, Club Deportivo Saski-Baskonia (Spain)
- Rasheed Sulaimon, Shooting Guard, Casademont Zaragoza (Spain)
- Zaid Hearst-Okpalannaka, Shooting Guard, Antibas (France)
- Ekpe Udoh, Centre
- Ben Uzoh, Point Guard
- Christopher Obekpa, Centre
- Ike Diogu, Centre
- Braxton Ogbueze, Guard
- Festus Ezeli, Centre
- John Ogbunu
