LAGOS – Wednesday 14 July 2021: Nigeria’s men’s basketball team, D’Tigers and the women’s team, D’Tigress will hit Japan on July 19, 2021 for the Tokyo Olympics, even as Coach Mike Brown will likely name the team for the Games weekend.

However, the coach is in di­lemma on the three to drop, as the coach must name the squad before leaving for To­kyo. The performances of the players in their 90-87 points defeat of number one ranked Team USA and 94-71 points defeat of world number four, Argentina, have given the huge problem of dropping three players.

Officials of the team, have however, kept sealed lips on the likely three players to be dropped.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has stated that it was proud of the team per­formance in their Pre-Olym­pic games friendly against USA and Argentina.

Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, who spoke on behalf of the government on Tuesday, stated that the performance of the team in just these two games signposts the future of basketball in the country.

“I salute and commend their patriotism and the cour­age and confidence they have brought to the game. You con­tinue to make Nigeria proud,” said Dare.

D’Tigers will begin their campaign for a first ev­er-Olympic basketball med­al on Sunday July 25 against Australia., before playing Germany three days later before playing Italy in their final group game on Satur­day July 31.

Meanwhile, D’Tigress will begin their pre-Olympics tune up games today in Las Vegas against Australia.