The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has released its official team roster for the 21st Commonwealth Games.
The team list compiled by the Technical Crew led by Coach Alex Nwora following months of camping in Lagos for the competition was made public on Tuesday by NBBF secretary, Chimezie Asiegbu.
The team made up of 6 home based players and 6 foreign based players will be captained by Ike Diogu who plies his trade with Henan in the Chinese league.
Diogu who captained the team to a 2017 Afrobasket silver medal finish was also influential in the team’s run of 3 straight wins in the 2nd window of the 2019 FIBA World Cup qualifiers with an average of 17.7 points made per game.
From the home front, Azuoma Dike of Kano Pillars will be leading the Nigerian legion comprising fellow Kano Pillars team mates Abdul Yahaya and Dung Eli Abraham.
Mark Mentors of Abuja player, Musa Usman will also be on the train to Australia.
Musa who is one of the best ball rebounders in the Nigerian Premier League after missing the world cup qualifiers in Mali was selected for the Commonwealth Games.
The duo of Abdulwahab Yakubu and Istifanus Sylvanus who played major roles in Gombe Bulls’ first ever qualification for the FIBA Africa club championship in 2017 also made the final cut.
After a sterling performance for Stony Brooks in the 2016-2017 NCAA season, Uchenna Ireogbu will be making his national team debut for Nigeria in Australia.
Orizu Prince Ifeanyi plying his trade with the Far Eastern University, Philipines also made the Commonwealth Games team.
The trio of Olantunji Olalekan Graham, Ofoegbu Uchechi Chima and Achiuwa Godsgift Onyekachi will also be joining the team in Australia from their base in the US.
With pre-games camping expected to end on the 22nd, the team will depart for Brisbane on March 23rd, 2018 ahead of their first game against New Zealand on Friday, 6th, April.
Nigeria is in Group B alongside host- Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
Coach Nwora will be assisted by Aderemi Adewunmi and Mohammed Abdulrahman.
Team List
Ike Diogu (Henan, CHINA)
Uchenna Ireogbu (Stony Brooks, NCAA, USA)
Dung Eli Abraham- (Kano Pillars (NIGERIA)
Azuoma Dike – (Kano Pillars, NIGERIA)
Olantunji Olalekan Graham- (Unattached, USA)
Ofoegbu Uchechi Chima – (Unattached, USA)
Musa Usman (Mark Mentors, NIGERIA)
Abdulwahab Yakubu (Gombe Bulls, Nigeria)
Istifanus Sylvanus (Gombe Bulls, Nigeria)
Abdul Yahaya (Kano Pillars)
Achiuwa God’sgift Onyekachi (Unattached, USA)
Orizu Prince Ifeanyi (Far Eastern University, PHILIPHINES)
