Nigeria have named a 20-player roster of largely new faces for a training camp ahead of AfroBasket in Rwanda, with the majority of their experienced players omitted after they failed to show up for tryouts.
However, the omitted players have said they are still willing to make themselves available to compete at the tournament, in Kigali from Jul. 28 to Aug. 5, despite being frustrated by the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) decision to organise open tryouts at short notice — which most of them missed.
Sarah Ogoke, Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah, Amy Okoronkwo and Elizabeth Balogun are the only regular players from the previous two tournaments who have been included, and Balogun was not at the 2021 AfroBasket; D’Tigress have not played in a competition since.
The list features five players from Nigeria’s domestic league, and 15 from abroad — including eight from the U.S.
NBBF appointed a new coach in Rena Wokoma, on Jun. 29, then three days later announced open tryouts for D’Tigress selection.
The announcement caught many of Nigerian players by surprise, and it prompted centre Oderah Chidom to announce her shock international retirement in an exclusive interview with ESPN, citing a “lack of professionalism” from the federation.
“I was training, I was working out all summer long in preparation, even with no information,” Chidom told ESPN. “I had the month of July blocked off. I didn’t plan any vacation, any job opportunities, any leagues that were that were going on through the summer, because I wanted to prepare for AfroBasket.
“And so only to find out two, three, weeks before the tournament that they were doing open tryouts, and that we D’Tigress players were still expected to pay our way to one of the three locations… it’s gonna cost me money with hotel, flight, food, just to go to Chicago last minute on a popular summer holiday weekend, just to have a chance to make the team. I mean, that just doesn’t seem very professional to me.”
Chidom was not alone.
The tryouts on the weekend of July 8-12 — in Chicago, Lagos and Abuja — drew a poor turnout from established players. According to reports, only two, Sarah Ogoke and Helen Ogunjimi made the Chicago tryouts, while Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah was attended the Abuja session.
Forward Atonye Nyingifa said the players were in solidarity with Chidom.
“We were completely blindsided by these tryouts, and yes we were only given a few days to get everything together. I am one of the players currently playing in a league and talking it over with my coaches; there was a lot of money on the line for me to stay or go.
“My team is in the playoffs so if I was to leave, and I would do that for my country, but that is not a sacrifice that [NBBF] think about. Us, as a collective, we have sacrificed a lot to make sure that we represent our country at the highest levels.”
Team captain Adaora Elonu told ESPN that many of the players would have attended the tryouts had they been given enough notice.
“The short notice of it was a challenge,” she said. “You had to travel to a different state, with all the expenses involved. That alone, if it was something that you planned for, maybe could have been possible. I know many girls who reached out and wanted to go but the notice was too short.”
There have been suggestions, including from players such as Ify Ibekwe, that the limited notice was a punishment for the embarrassment the players caused the federation when they made a viral video asking for payment of bonuses and allowances
“I stand with my sister Oderah in the decision that she made, and the fact that last year we qualified for the World Cup and we were not even able to attend,” Ibekwe said. “It is very unfortunate that again we are in this situation and the players are being punished. We shouldn’t be doing this, we shouldn’t be going through this at all.”
Sources close to NBBF President Musa Kida denied the allegation, saying “every player had an equal opportunity to compete for a place at the tryouts, and it is up to the coach to select the best for the AfroBasket.”
The players, nevertheless, say they are willing to compete at AfroBasket, if given the opportunity
“Of course! An official letter changes so much,” Elonu said. “Especially for the people who are playing. They cannot leave their team to go participate in a tryouts. But if they get a letter asking them to come and take part in the AfroBasket, the players will go
“The team GMs know about the AfroBasket so they would be willing to let players go, too.”
Nyingifa said the players wanted to represent Nigeria and hoist the trophy for a record-equaling fourth time.
“It would mean a lot to me and I know it would mean a lot to my teammates,” she said. “Doing a four-peat, that’s something we don’t take lightly. And we have carried the team for years now.
Nyingifa said that D’Tigress could begin to regress if they travelled to Rwanda with a less-than-competitive team and failed to do well.
“It would revert from all the things that we have achieved in the last five years, since we won the first title. All of that would be washed away.
“We have grown a lot, but we are also taking steps back. So if we don’t have the opportunity to at least compete at the AfroBasket, and, Lord forbid, the outcome is not what we expected, you can guarantee that this is not the beginning of a rebuild; it is a regression.”
D’Tigress roster
Toyosi Abiola (PG; Eastern Michigan University, U.S.), Tomi Taiwo (PG; Texas Christian University, U.S.), Onaibe Believe Jessica, PG; ASPAC, Benin), Okoro Ifunanya (CG; KPA, Kenya), Sarah Ogoke (SG; Ferroviario de Maputo, Mozambique), Elizabeth Balogun (F; Duke Blue Devils, U.S.), Adeyeye Adebola (F; Kentucky Wildcats, U.S.), Amanda Okodugha (F; Grindavik, Iceland); Amy Okonkwo (F; Halcones, Mexico), Pallas Akpanah (PF; Campobassi, Italy, Olawuyi Adenike Olayemi (PF/C; Pea University, Hungary), Lauren Ebo (C; Notre Dame, U.S.), Blessing Ejiofor (C; Western Virginia University, U.S.), Theresa Anta Joy Ebiega (PG; First Bank, Nigeria), Mac-Dangusi A Theresa (PF; First Bank, Nigeria), Murjanatu Musa Linan (PF First Bank, Nigeria), Akaraiwe Nkem Uwa (PF; Customs, Nigeria), Hembam Wandoo M (SG; MFM, Nigeria)
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