Former D’Tigers head coach Sanni Ahmed has warned current Nigeria coach David Fizdale that the team must urgently tighten up defensively if they are to survive the tougher challenges awaiting them in the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers.
Ahmed believes the quality of players invited for the latest qualifying window represents a significant improvement on the previous squad, but he has identified the defensive end of the court as his major concern ahead of Nigeria’s crucial games in Tunisia.
“The defence has been my only concern of late,” Ahmed said.
The former national team coach believes Nigeria cannot afford to be careless defensively against the quality of opposition they are about to face, particularly with the stakes rising as the second round of the African qualifiers gets underway.
“The list of players invited this time is an improvement from the last round,” he said.
“But the quality of teams Nigeria will play against could pose serious problems for our defence.”
Ahmed’s warning comes as D’Tigers prepare for three crucial Group E fixtures in Radès, Tunisia, where they will face Cameroon on August 27, South Sudan on August 28 and Cape Verde on August 30.
Nigeria advanced to the second round after a strong turnaround under Fizdale, winning all three of their games in the previous qualifying window in Luanda and reviving their hopes of reaching the 2027 World Cup.
Fizdale has now named a strong 12-man squad for the latest window, including NBA-experienced Chimezie Metu and Josh Okogie, as well as returning forward Chima Moneke.
But Ahmed believes having quality players will not be enough if Nigeria cannot establish the defensive discipline required against the continent’s strongest sides.
“If that is addressed and they play as a team, then they will be victorious,” he said.
The former D’Tigers coach’s comments come at a critical stage of Nigeria’s qualification campaign, with every result becoming increasingly important as the teams carry their first-round results into the second phase.
Five African nations will eventually qualify for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Qatar, with the top two teams from each second-round group and the best third-placed team earning tickets to the global tournament.
Ahmed had previously urged Fizdale to make sure Nigeria’s strongest available players were selected for the tougher phase, warning that the level of competition would rise significantly.
With a squad that now includes some of Nigeria’s biggest basketball names, the former coach believes the ingredients are there for D’Tigers to succeed.
But he insists the team must defend as a unit.
For Ahmed, Nigeria’s attacking quality can only take them so far. If Fizdale can solve the defensive problems and get the players functioning as one team, he believes D’Tigers have what it takes to push closer to another appearance at the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
