The city of Las Vegas witnessed history on Saturday night as the Nigerian men’s basketball team, D’Tigers beat team USA 90-87 in its first ever defeat to an African nation.
Let that sink in; we’re the first African nation.
To beat the USA.
Other than the fact that the United States basically invented basketball, let’s talk about why this is a huge win for the Nigerian team.
The last time D’Tigers met the American team, in an exhibition game in 2016, it was a blowout, with team USA beating Nigeria 110-66.
The time before that, at the 2012 Olympics, Nigeria also lost by 83 points.
Going into the exhibition game on Saturday, that was the kind of history D’Tigers had with Team USA. They were a team of nationals going against an all-star team led by three-time Olympian Kevin Durant and one of their own (I’m looking at you Bam Adebayo). To be honest, very few people expected D’Tigers to win, history looked like it was about to repeat itself after all.
So, what changed between the previous games and now?
First, we’re looking at a team that’s almost brand new, with only two players retained from the 2016 team, Michael Gbinije and Stan Okoye, and even at that their positions have been changed. The new team features three players from Miami Heat, the team that placed second in the last NBA championships. The team also has players from the Sacramento Kings and Milwaukee Bucks. There are also players from the other side of the pond, with two players from French basketball teams and two from Spanish basketball teams, even one from Israel.
The roster is impressive to say the least; Ike Iroegbu (Elan Chalon, France), Stan Okoye (Gran Canaria, Spain), Obi Ememgano (Feunlabrada, Spain), Chima Moneke (Orleans Loiret, France), Caleb Agada (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel), Ekpe Udoh (Free agent), Chimezie Metu (Sacramento Kings, USA), Josh Okogie (Minnesota Timberwolves, USA), Gabe Nnamdi Vincent (Miami Heat, USA), Jordan Nwora (Milwaukee Bucks, USA), Precious Achiuwa (Miami Heat, USA), Michael Gbinije (Free agent), Jahlil Okafor (Detroit Pistons, USA), KZ Okpala (Miami Heat, USA) and Miye Oni (Utah Jazz, USA).
We’re looking at a team that consists of players that have been exposed to world class playing standards, have played against teams from all over the world and are unencumbered by the ineptitude of anything Nigerian industry (I still can’t talk about the experience of the female athletes without anger). These men (I’m tempted to call them boys to sound like a sports pundit) have experience, serious experience. Fun fact, after the USA and Canada, there are more players of Nigerian descent in the NBA than any other country, the talent pool is there.
Second, a change in coaches, from Will Voight to Mike Brown, current assistant head coach of the Golden State Warriors and former head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers. With his professional playing career spanning ten years and his coaching career spanning an estimated 23 years (including Assistant Coach positions) it feels safe to say that the team is in good hands.
Third, something has shifted in the Nigerian Basketball industry, I can’t exactly say what but something has shifted. Perhaps we have the president of the Nigerian Basketball Federation, Ahmad Musa Kida, to thank. Perhaps not, seeing as the source of funding for the national team is GoFundMe.
And the final reason is, practice. D’Tigers had been practicing for about a month before the game so they had the opportunity to get a feel for each other’s playing methods and figure out how to play like a well-oiled machine. On the contrary, team USA had been together for about four days, give or take. Cocky maybe?
Saturday’s game was D’Tigers first Olympic exhibition game and it was far from a bad one. Rife with 3 pointers, 20 to be exact, the Nigerian team held their own against a team one can almost call super, and came out on top. And it wasn’t a one-time thing, a stroke of luck or a fluke, as evidenced by their victory over Argentina 94-71 on Monday night.
Despite their 108-69 loss to Australia, there’s still a lot of confidence in D’Tigers. Their last game before they head to Tokyo, the loss doesn’t mar the euphoria of the previous wins. They went to Vegas to prove something and dare I say they’ve caught the attention they need. The foundation for this Olympic journey had been laid in 2012 and 2016, and we’re hopeful that this goes as far as possible. Winning the Afrobasket in 2015 was a much needed bolster and that we can hold onto as they start a new phase.
Coach Mike Brown believes that the Nigerian team can make history in the Tokyo Olympics, and seeing as they’ve already started, you can fully say that D’Tigers did not come to play with anybody. Beating the US and Argentina has cemented D’Tigers position as a team to be taken very seriously.
Nigeria is the only African country to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics with both teams and D’Tigers and D’Tigress have some sort of a responsibility to carry the African continent on their back. And they’ve got the support of the entire country now, eyes are on them. With social media amplifying their feats and the handler of the team’s official Twitter being very good at their job, Nigerians are watching, and rooting for them.
The teams in the Tokyo Olympics better watch out and learn their names because D’Tigers are coming and Naija no dey carry last.
