Awojobi leads 11 other Tigers to Yamoussoukro

The list of the lucky twelve who will don the country colour in the battle for a place in next year FIBA Africa Championship for Men slated for Libya includes ageless Israeli-based Tunji Awojobi (forward), USA-based Ejike Ugboaja (forward) and stand-in captain Abdulrahman Mohammed (guard) of Nigeria Customs Service basketball club, Nigeria.

Others in the team are Abubakar Usman (guard) Niger Potters basketball club, Nigeria; Daniel Daudu (guard) Union Bank basketball club, Nigeria; Azuoma Dike (guard) Union Bank basketball club, Nigeria; Orseer Ikyaator (guard) Ebun Comets basketball club, Nigeria and Mohammed Bukir (guard) Dodan Warriors basketball club, Nigeria.

Other players who made the list include Stanley Gumut (forward) Plateau Peaks basketball club, Nigeria; Ibrahim Yusuf (forward) Kano Pillars basketball club, Nigeria; Dennis Ebikoro (forward) Ebun Comets basketball club, Nigeria and Boniface Edegie (forward) Yelwa Hawks basketball club, Nigeria.

An inside source within the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF says the present squad are capable of retuning smiles to the faces of teeming supporters of the game.

Nigeria will battle for one of the two tickets from the zone against host Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, Ghana, Benin Republic, Niger, Burkina Faso and Liberia.

Nigeria found herself at this present when she was bundled out of the 2007 edition of the Cup of Nations by Cape Verde at the quarter-final stage with a side that was not prepared to challenge for honours.