D’TIGERS Tokyo 2021

[TonyTheTigerKiller]

On the Women's side, it will just be unfair to choose Aisha Balarabe over Evelyn Akhator. I was against Scott Nnaji's injustice in keeping Aisha Balarabe out when she was the best Nigerian player available and winning Europe league game MVPs, but that was many years ago. She has looked old and slow in the last few tournaments and it seems there is no reasonable reason for her to be in the team at all, not to talk of ahead of Evelyn Akhator, who was the best player a couple of Afrobaskets last. On another note, good to see Liz Williams and a couple of Ogwumikes.

If they can get Arike, this team might be better than Team USA.

For the women’s national team, coach Otis Hughley listed three new players — Erica Ogwumike, Oderah Chidom and Elizabeth Williams — in his squad.

Ogwumike’s sisters Nneka, a World Cup winner with the US in 2014 and 2018, and Chiney, also made the squad.

The other players who made the squad are Adaora Elonu, Aisha Balarabe, Amy Amukamara, Atonye Nyingifa, Ezinne Kalu, Pallas Kunayi-Akpanah, Ifunaya Ibekwe, Amy Okonkwo and Victoria Macauley.

Also, exciting power forward Evelyn Akhator missed out from D’Tigress squad for the Olympics, following COVID-19 travel restrictions, which prevented her from joining the other players in camp in the United States.

D’Tigress are drawn against USA, France and hosts Japan.

Have Nneka and Chiney been cleared by FIBA?

I hope the part about being better than team USA is just optimistic humor


Cheers.

I'll take Arike over Sue Bird right now. Taurasi is also no Spring Chicken

A front court of the Ogwumikes and Liz Williams will hold its own against Stew & Tina Charles. Maybe Griner will harass us, but we have some height as well.

Then the Nigerian team has a couple of solid players in Ezinne Kanu and Promise Amukamara.

Well, Arike is not in camp & I sense they might just not clear Nneka for the reasons stated above, so we may just never know, but I'm not kidding.

First of all, there is no member of the US Olympic Women’s team who wouldn’t walk on to the Tigeress squad.

It’s nice that you think so highly of Arike that you’ll take her over Sue Bird, the greatest point guard of all time in women’s basketball. Kobe Bryant nicknamed her “the White Mamba”, for crying out loud. Sue at 40, Dianna at 39 and Tina Charles at 32 are still the best of the best. Why do you think they are still in the WNBA? These three, along with Breanna Stewart have won everything there is to win in basketball, from high school to the pros; All American honors, multiple NCAA championships, multiple WNBA championships and more; rookie of the year, mvp, you name it, they’ve done it. Breanna has the exact same credentials as the first three I mentioned except she’s only 27.

I hail your optimism regarding D’Tigeress but the US is too deep and too talented


Cheers.

With what happened tonight on the men's side, I just hope they don't frustrate Nneka's application to switch. The American and the Europeans will have an aligned interest in not wanting a strong Nigerian team

Americans are too arrogant to believe that one player can beat them


Cheers.

[kalani JR]

Congratulations to D'Tigers!!! (Hm, can't we come up with a better name than that?)

2. If Nigeria was a well run country we would have been collecting olympic medals in basketball for decades.

3. This is very exciting! Hopefully they build on this to become a dominant force for a long time!

I don tire! It was adopted back in the day when nobody cared, but it is embarrassing.

Tigers are not even native to any part of the African continent.

Is it?
I’ve heard far worse names in the world of basketball, not least the NBA.
A name is what you make of it.

You just get used to it.
Like you get used to funny-funny names like:

New Orleans Pelicans
Memphis Grizzlies
Utah Jazz
Denver Nuggets
Detroit Pistons
Los Angeles Clippers


‘Stupid’ names to the virgin basketball ear.

Almost all of those names have meanings that indicate connections to the host cities, former host cities, or the business of the founders.

Pistons relate to Motor City or Motown - Detroit

I believe the Jazz started out in New Orleans, and the Grizzlies started out in Vancouver, just as the Lakers started out in Minneapolis which has many lakes.

The others will have some connection story as well.

Yeah, I know there must be historical connections in most cases.
But who’s gonna do that research on first hearing?
They just sound silly to the uninitiated, but like I said, you get used to them and accept them. Link a successful brand with a name and it takes on a whole new meaning.

It don’t matter there are no tigers in Nigeria. Would The ‘Jolloffs’ or the The ‘Danfos’ be any different?
Even the ‘Super Eagles’ took some getting used to.
Now it simply rolls off the tongue like nuttin happen.

Most fans know the association though, Tigers is just stupid, D'Tigers is even worse.

[K]

So based on last nights game, who do you think is in and who’s out of our Tokyo train?

For me,
IN: All the NBA guys plus Caleb Agada and Ike Iroegbu are in.
OUT: Gbinije May not make the cut
Borderline: Ekpe Udoh, Ike Nwamu and Obi Emegano

[truetalk]

So based on last nights game, who do you think is in and who’s out of our Tokyo train?

For me,
IN: All the NBA guys plus Caleb Agada and Ike Iroegbu are in.
OUT: Gbinije May not make the cut
Borderline: Ekpe Udoh, Ike Nwamu and Obi Emegano

Tough call, as Jordan Nwora, who is still with the Bucks in the NBA finals is most likely in. His Dad was on the sidelines yesterday.

Are you sure about all the NBA guys? Miye Oni played well, but I won't be surprised if he is cut. I wonder why we did not see Jahlil.

I'll have to sleep on this one, and maybe see more games before suggesting the quartet that will be cut.

[wale1974]

Where is B1tch Futcha and Gaylani??? I told yall its only a matter of time we start smacking the USA in basketball

celebrating an exhibition 'victory' really thot?

Tell that to Jim Rome and Shannon Sharpe.....Defeat is a defeat.

[wale1974]

So based on last nights game, who do you think is in and who’s out of our Tokyo train?

For me,
IN: All the NBA guys plus Caleb Agada and Ike Iroegbu are in.
OUT: Gbinije May not make the cut
Borderline: Ekpe Udoh, Ike Nwamu and Obi Emegano

Tough call, as Jordan Nwora, who is still with the Bucks in the NBA finals is most likely in. His Dad was on the sidelines yesterday.

Are you sure about all the NBA guys? Miye Oni played well, but I won't be surprised if he is cut. I wonder why we did not see Jahlil.

I'll have to sleep on this one, and maybe see more games before suggesting the quartet that will be cut.

Jahlil had a death in the family.

[asabatex]

Great win

[K]

So based on last nights game, who do you think is in and who’s out of our Tokyo train?

For me,
IN: All the NBA guys plus Caleb Agada and Ike Iroegbu are in.
OUT: Gbinije May not make the cut
Borderline: Ekpe Udoh, Ike Nwamu and Obi Emegano

Tough call, as Jordan Nwora, who is still with the Bucks in the NBA finals is most likely in. His Dad was on the sidelines yesterday.

Are you sure about all the NBA guys? Miye Oni played well, but I won't be surprised if he is cut. I wonder why we did not see Jahlil.

I'll have to sleep on this one, and maybe see more games before suggesting the quartet that will be cut.

Mite Oni was quietly efficient. Yes we need to see Jahlil (he was bereaved) but we need traditional bigs for the international game.

[muzines]

So based on last nights game, who do you think is in and who’s out of our Tokyo train?

For me,
IN: All the NBA guys plus Caleb Agada and Ike Iroegbu are in.
OUT: Gbinije May not make the cut
Borderline: Ekpe Udoh, Ike Nwamu and Obi Emegano

I’m not sure how it looked on TV, but Emegano is a baller. He carried the team through a big part of the first half. Ike Nwamu also played really well. I think the whole team played awesome, in fact. I don’t envy Mike Brown. One thing I need to mention is that Gabe Vincent or Gabe Nnamdi is a going to be a star for the Heat, if they use him well. The guy is awesome.

[muzines]

So based on last nights game, who do you think is in and who’s out of our Tokyo train?

For me,
IN: All the NBA guys plus Caleb Agada and Ike Iroegbu are in.
OUT: Gbinije May not make the cut
Borderline: Ekpe Udoh, Ike Nwamu and Obi Emegano

Tough call, as Jordan Nwora, who is still with the Bucks in the NBA finals is most likely in. His Dad was on the sidelines yesterday.

Are you sure about all the NBA guys? Miye Oni played well, but I won't be surprised if he is cut. I wonder why we did not see Jahlil.

I'll have to sleep on this one, and maybe see more games before suggesting the quartet that will be cut.

Maybe I will be on the team too, since I was on the sidelines as well…lol. I kid….

[truetalk]

So based on last nights game, who do you think is in and who’s out of our Tokyo train?

For me,
IN: All the NBA guys plus Caleb Agada and Ike Iroegbu are in.
OUT: Gbinije May not make the cut
Borderline: Ekpe Udoh, Ike Nwamu and Obi Emegano

Tough call, as Jordan Nwora, who is still with the Bucks in the NBA finals is most likely in. His Dad was on the sidelines yesterday.

Are you sure about all the NBA guys? Miye Oni played well, but I won't be surprised if he is cut. I wonder why we did not see Jahlil.

I'll have to sleep on this one, and maybe see more games before suggesting the quartet that will be cut.

Maybe I will be on the team too, since I was on the sidelines as well…lol. I kid….

This is not for you, but I should explain for those who may miss out what was not stated explicitly in my comment, since most of us on this segment of the forum are familiar with the issues.

His Dad (Alex Nwora) is the Assistant Coach. He was previously the Head Coach and led the team to the FIBA World Cup in 2019.

There was some talk that he had left the Federation and was not with the team during the recent Afrobasket qualifiers. This follows the decision to hire Mike Brown to lead the team to the Olympics.

He was with the team yesterday, and dishing out instructions alongside Mike Brown. It can thus be assumed that Jordan will join the team after the NBA finals.

[Showboy]

So based on last nights game, who do you think is in and who’s out of our Tokyo train?

For me,
IN: All the NBA guys plus Caleb Agada and Ike Iroegbu are in.
OUT: Gbinije May not make the cut
Borderline: Ekpe Udoh, Ike Nwamu and Obi Emegano

I’m not sure how it looked on TV, but Emegano is a baller. He carried the team through a big part of the first half. Ike Nwamu also played really well. I think the whole team played awesome, in fact. I don’t envy Mike Brown. One thing I need to mention is that Gabe Vincent or Gabe Nnamdi is a going to be a star for the Heat, if they use him well. The guy is awesome.

Really talk

The way the guy was sinking 3pointers, I was extremely worried for the US. There were a few shots KD didn't bother applying pressure cos he knew it was going in.

[King Futcha]

Where is B1tch Futcha and Gaylani??? I told yall its only a matter of time we start smacking the USA in basketball

celebrating an exhibition 'victory' really thot?

Tell that to Jim Rome and Shannon Sharpe.....Defeat is a defeat.

not sure what they have to do with anything but i looking forward to naija beating usa when the tournament starts.

[kalani JR]

Where is B1tch Futcha and Gaylani??? I told yall its only a matter of time we start smacking the USA in basketball

celebrating an exhibition 'victory' really thot?

Tell that to Jim Rome and Shannon Sharpe.....Defeat is a defeat.

not sure what they have to do with anything but i looking forward to naija beating usa when the tournament starts.

It's not even the complete team. I can see USA losing the gold but not to Nigeria.

[wanaj0]

When is the next exhibition match?

[Cito]

When is the next exhibition match?

Today at 1300 PDT

[pajimoh]

Half time. D'Tigers lead by 10 (43-33)

[pajimoh]

Nigrria lead by 19 st the end of 4rd qtr 74-55

[TonyTheTigerKiller]

Nigrria lead by 19 st the end of 4rd qtr 74-55

Did you mean 3rd quarter


Cheers.

[pajimoh]

Nigrria lead by 19 st the end of 4rd qtr 74-55

Did you mean 3rd quarter


Cheers.

Sorry. 3rd qtr

Game finished

94-71 Nigeria beat Argentina. 23 point game. The boys are on .

[Schillachi]

Fellaz, go donate to the cause o..

[truetalk]

How a nothing and nobody can open his mouth and describe Emeka Okafor as washed up is beyond me but that’s the Internet for you. Bassey, at this point, can only hope he acquires Emeka’s pedegree. He’s got a long, long way to go


Cheers.

Pedegree my arse. When Emeka Okafor was younger he chose USA. Now he is a washed up has been he wants to play for Nigeria. Bassey is 100% Nigerian. Dude is ready. I will take him over both Okafors in camp right now.

Agree with everything (maybe not the sentiment) sans the dig at Jahlil.

Jahlil's defense gets knocked a lot, and he has not been fortunate to have an NBA coach that is as patient with him as Monty has been with Ayton. I personally think he should have spent a couple of more years at Duke to develop a good work ethic, which will include better habits and defense traits.

But, this young man is gifted in the paint. The post moves are not far from Hakeem, yes the same Hakeem Olajuwon that Kobe rates top 5 all time. I know it might sound like sacrilege to some here.

Being in a Nigerian camp might just revive something in him. He was ACC player of the year and 1st team all American (I believe he, Dosunmu and Mek are the only 3 Nigerians with that honour) as a FRESHMAN.

Jahlil dished out the business against Argentina today. 15 points on 7-8 shooting, and he was mostly on the bench once the lead became wide.

Really happy for the young man. His offensive range is increasing as he was putting the ball on the ground and driving to the basket. The post moves are excellent.

He needs a team that will be built around him, where a half court offense is favored. Every team now seems to want to run and gun and shoot 3's as the first option.

On the right team that has the confidence to do it a bit differently, this kid is a perennial all star.

[Showboy]

Love the bitterness that was issued with no mercy.

Its time those Argentines know that - no Messi no party