Basketball in Africa

Wale Quadri
Lagos

Viewing the prevailing crisis rocking the Nigeria's U-19 preparation for the global world meet in Serbia, Chief Coach of the team, Adeka Daudu submitted that only divine intervention can make the country excel at the championship billed for next month.
According to the coach, who gave an insight into to what to expect at world championship, the Junior Tigers are not enjoying the best of preparation.

"We are not getting the kind of preparation that could match up with our opponents at the world championship," he said.

"We understand the situation of things, but the world championship is not an African affair, where we think raw strength can make one excel. Other factors come to play, the player's psyche and motivation contribute to any team's performance," he maintained.

"We will see what we can make out of this and with God, all things are possible," the coach added.

On whether the team would embark on any foreign tour before heading for Novi Sad, Serbia venue of the championship, the former, Dodan Warriors and Ebun Comets basketball clubs coach said only the Technical Committee and the Youth Committee of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF can say.

According to him, it would have been a good idea if the team is meant to play some tough friendly matches before the commencement of the world championship, but in the absence of an opportunity to go on a training tour, the team would rather settle to play against some of the top clubs in the country as tune-up for the championship.

# posted by afrbk : 12:04