President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the national men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, on their victory over Angola in Sunday’s final of the FIBA Africa Basketball Championship in Tunisia.
Nigeria won their first continental basketball title beating the defending champions Angola 74-65 in the final.
Buhari’s congratulatory message was contained in a statement by his special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina.
“President Buhari joins other sports-loving Nigerians in applauding D’Tigers’ exhilarating 74-65 victory over their Angolan opponents which also secured Nigeria’s qualification for the men’s basketball event at next year’s Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro,” the statement read.
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“The President commends the players for displaying exemplary strength, courage, determination and patriotism as well as great skills and creativity to dethrone Angola, the perennial African basketball champions.
“President Buhari urges members of the team and their handlers to work very hard to surpass their extraordinary heroics in Tunisia before a global audience at next year’s Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro and bring even greater glory to Nigeria.
“The President assures the team, its managers and the Nigerian Basketball Federation that his administration will give them and Nigeria’s other representatives at the next Olympic Games, the fullest possible support to ensure that they are well prepared to excel against the champions of other countries and regions in Rio De Janeiro.”
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D’Tigers were playing their fourth final having finished second best on three previous occasions – 1997, 1999 and 2003.
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