Basketball in Africa

Basketball fans in Lagos on Friday urged the national senior men's basketball team, 'D'Tigers, not to be deterred by their scandalous loss to the U.S. at the ongoing 2012 London Olympic Games.
The fans, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, advised the team to remain focused so as to be able to win their remaining two matches in the basketball event of the Games
Nigeria lost 156-73 in their third match in the preliminaries of the competition. The team should not be discouraged, but be more determined to win their remaining two matches, to prove a point to the world, they said. Felix Awogu, Managing Director, Super Sports Nigeria, said that: "I hope our players will win their two remaining matches.
"Although I know our players cannot match their U.S. counterparts, but the margin with which they lost the game was too much," he said.
Awogu blamed the coaching crew for the loss, saying: "They are not too okay; the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) would have looked for more experienced hands". He, however, urged them to be more focused and to return to their winning ways. Agboola Pinhero, a former player and national coach, also said that if the team could be more determined, they could spring surprises.
He said Nigeria's defeat on Thursday was no big deal because the U.S. was known to be a great basketball nation and they are the defending champions.
Coach Adeka Daudu of Dodan Warriors Basketball Club of Lagos said: "I don't know what the U.S. is trying to prove with the game; however, we gave our best shot and the margin does not matter".
Daudu said the defeat would only be a booster for D'Tigers to take their remaining matches seriously.
He added that if the team could be more focused to win their match against Argentina on Saturday, there could be some hope for them to be able to remain in contention.