Igoche Mark, a basketball stakeholder and promoter of the Mark D’Ball Basketball Championship, praised D’Tigers for qualifying for the 2025 AfroBasket tournament. This comes after FIBA confirmed that all teams in Group B of the current AfroBasket qualifiers have earned their places, according to Completesports. The D’Tigers secured their qualification with a match remaining, demonstrating their skills by overcoming Libya 75-70 and Uganda 87-67 in their recent games, followed by a victory against Cape Verde 77-62 in their last group match on Sunday. Additionally, CAF has appointed Kenyan officials for the Flamingos vs South Africa match as part of the Morocco 2025 event. Mark praised the team’s achievements while being led by Coach Abdulrahman Mohammed. He commended the athletes for their perseverance and commitment, specifically noting their impressive performance in the fourth quarter against Uganda, where they scored 32 points while limiting their opponents to just 8. “Throughout our matches against Libya and Uganda, I witnessed a determined team pushing through every challenge, particularly in the fourth quarter against Uganda.” “This exemplifies the Nigerian spirit,” Mark remarked. Additionally, see: NPFL: Akwa United’s leading goal scorer Alaekwe out for a month due to injury. Mark conveyed a hopeful outlook for the future of basketball in Nigeria and provided motivational support to the team. He stressed that the recent creation of the National Sports Commission, with Mallam Shehu Dikko and Bukola Olopade serving as Chairman and Director General respectively, signals a shift in the issues that basketball has faced historically. “While this achievement shouldn’t ignore the problems and decline basketball has experienced in Nigeria, the positive aspect is that the new National Sports Commission, led by experienced sports administrators, will soon bring about a RESET for the sport,” Mark concluded. By Richard Jideaka, Abuja.
