Former D’Tigers head coach Sanni Ahmed has advised Nigeria’s new national team coach David Fizdale to assemble the country’s strongest possible squad for the next window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers, warning that the level of competition will increase significantly.
Ahmed’s comments come after Fizdale enjoyed a perfect start to life as D’Tigers coach, guiding Nigeria to three consecutive victories in the previous qualification window to revive the team’s hopes of reaching the World Cup.
While applauding the impressive start under the former NBA coach, Ahmed believes the tougher tests are still to come.
“The next phase of the qualifiers will be much more difficult, so Nigeria must ensure that its best players are available,” Ahmed said.
The veteran coach stressed that the remaining qualification matches will pit Nigeria against some of Africa’s strongest basketball nations, making player selection a critical factor in the team’s bid to secure a place at the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Ahmed urged the coaching staff and the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) to work closely with eligible players competing in Europe, the NBA and other top leagues to ensure the country’s strongest roster is assembled.
“We’ll be facing some of the best teams on the continent. That’s why we cannot afford to leave out our top players if we want to qualify for the World Cup,” he added.
Nigeria revived its qualification campaign under Fizdale with victories over Tunisia, Rwanda and Guinea, performances that restored confidence after a difficult start to the qualifying series.
As preparations continue for the next qualification window, D’Tigers will be aiming to maintain their momentum and strengthen their chances of securing another appearance at the FIBA Basketball World Cup against what is expected to be even stronger opposition.
