Nigeria’s D’Tigers have been handed a demanding schedule after being drawn alongside Cameroon, South Sudan, Cabo Verde, Tunisia and Guinea in Group E of the FIBA Africa Basketball World Cup Qualifiers.
The draw will see Nigeria open their qualifying campaign against regional rivals Cameroon on 27 August, before facing South Sudan a day later. The D’Tigers will complete the opening qualifying window against Cabo Verde on 30 August.
Other Group E fixtures will see Guinea take on South Sudan and Tunisia face Cabo Verde on 27 August. Cameroon will meet Tunisia, while Cabo Verde will play Guinea on 28 August. The opening window concludes on 30 August with Guinea facing Cameroon and Tunisia taking on South Sudan.
Nigeria will head into the qualifiers with an encouraging record against two of their first three opponents. The D’Tigers have won three of their four previous meetings with Cameroon and have a 100 per cent record against South Sudan, having won both of their earlier encounters.
Cabo Verde, however, has traditionally proved a difficult opponent. Nigeria has managed just one victory in six previous meetings between the two sides, making the final game of the qualifying window a significant challenge.
With places at the next FIBA Basketball World Cup up for grabs, the D’Tigers will be looking to build on their strong record against Cameroon and South Sudan before attempting to improve their fortunes against Cabo Verde in what promises to be a fiercely contested Group E campaign.
