In the aftermath of Nigeria’s three consecutive losses in the Afrobasket tournament in Tunisia, former national men’s basketball team player Stanley Gumut has voiced his lack of surprise at the team’s underwhelming performance.
Speaking candidly, Gumut highlighted the crucial factor of inadequate preparation, stressing its detrimental impact on team synergy.
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“In all honesty, I’m not surprised by our performance,” Gumut remarked in a recent chat. “A lack of proper preparation meant there was going to be a lack of synergy in the team.”
Gumut emphasized that while the players possess individual talent, the absence of sufficient training and preparation time compared to their opponents inevitably impacted their cohesion on the court.
“The homemade players and the new players that you travel with, these boys will have performed way better than the way they played,” Gumut added. “If only they had at least even a camp on the domestic scene.”
Gumut lamented the missed opportunity for the team, suggesting that with proper preparation, including domestic training camps, the outcome could have been different.
“At least, to say the least. Even if there is no money, you can make these boys come to Abuja,” Gumut elaborated. “Explaining to them that there is no money, they will come.
Most of them want to play. Even in the bad situation we are in they still want to play; they want to ply their trade.”
The former player underscored the potential of both homegrown and new players to excel with adequate preparation, expressing disappointment at the missed chance for synergy and strategic planning.
“So, coming in to come and practice and get to know themselves, and then get strategies for the way they are going to apply in these games, would have gone a long way,” Gumut continued. “I don’t think we should have lost three games.”
Gumut urged for a proactive approach, suggesting that even amidst financial constraints, organizing training camps on the domestic scene could have been feasible and beneficial.
In conclusion, Gumut asserted that with proper preparation, including training camps and strategic planning, the team could have avoided their three consecutive losses, hinting at the missed opportunity for success in the tournament.
Nigeria’s D’Tigers were defeated by Cape Verde, Libya, and Uganda in all three games of the qualification tournament for the 2025 FIBA Afrobasket.
