D’Tigers stand-in head coach, Alan Major has given reasons why the Nigerian team was defeated by Cape Verde in Friday’s 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup first round qualifiers in Rwanda.
Featuring in their fourth game of the qualifiers, D’Tigers lost 79-70 to suffer a second defeat to Cape Verde in the series.
Speaking at the press conference, Major highlighted the team’s turnover ratio and rebound efforts which he said was responsible for the loss despite crediting the team for their resilience and hardwork.
“They (Cape Verde) had 16 points from our turnovers, 11 second-chance points from 16 offensive rebounds. These are some things we can clean up, but I do like the effort. We fought back and had the lead, but we gave up a big put back to Williams Tavares.
“Congratulations to Cape Verde, they played well. They got a cushion on us at halftime. I thought our guys did a great job by fighting back to take the lead towards the end of the match, but you know in a game like this, you do not have much margin for error,”Major explained.
He said the team got scared towards the end of the game and rushed their plays in a quest to restore their lead, giving their opponent the winning edge.
“We just have to go back, watch some films, clean up some things and be ready to play again.”
Speaking further, he added:”We wanted to go out there and try to win the game. We did that for stretches of the game but Cape Verde played together. They have been together and practicing more than we have.”
Meanwhile, D’Tigers’ opponent for today’s clash, Mali, failed to show up for their game against Uganda which saw the latter awarded a 20-0 win on Friday.
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COMMENTS
Back to excuses aren’t you guys ashamed the typical Nigerian spirit. Sack Brown and start failing then making excuses. This is disgusting Nigeria is becoming a mockery for their dealings. How can a country dominating men and women BBall for.the first time in decades from no where come out and start lying that they want to make a reform and sack the coaches that brought light and hire some new clowns. My head aches looking at the line up self no Jordan Nworah Mchteew I’m done with this.
Next time, don’t contrive to fix something that ain’t broke.
Ehen now. Is this now a better situation than what we had before?
Now our basketball is in a slump, thanks to some awful decisions.
Hopefully one day soon, we will get an explanation as to why our basketball was banned for 2 years at a time when we were experiencing record-breaking success in both male and female basketball.
They expect us fans to waste our precious time supporting their silly/empty so called project once again and just when it starts getting matured and becoming the best, their failed brains will for some ludicrous reasons consider a ban/disbandment. Brodas @ Chima Samuel n @ Pompei, stop troubling yourselves with anything nijja for now. Nigeria is a blessed country but sadly being governed/ paraded by thieves and foolish thieves at that.These two videos Will tell something about Nigeria as it is at the moment
https://youtu.be/36yhTFCP_Zk
https://youtu.be/RfE0rFuvHBU
Now wether Nigeria win anything or not, it doesn’t bother me anymore. But may God ALWAYS bless athletes and footballers representing even in the midst of these epileptic maladministration in everything about Nigeria and sports in particular.
The players look hungry….