If everything works out as planned, D’Tigers team will be relying on the quality leadership and experience of team captain, Ike Diogu when they file out for their FIBA Men’s World Cup qualifiers in Lagos.

D’Tigers head coach, Alex Nwora said this at the weekend while speaking with the media department of the Nigeria Basketball Federation in Lagos as they intensify their preparation.

Nwora described Diogu who was co-captain of the 2015 Afrobasket winning team in Tunisia before leading the team to another silver finish 2 years later as the essential foundation that holds the young D’Tigers team together.

“He knows that we have an unfinished business and he has embraced the leadership role as the captain of the D’Tigers. He is the foundation that holds us together.”

Having won 3 games so far with 3 more to go in the preliminary group phase of the qualifiers, Coach Alex is optimistic that the Sichuan Blue Whales of China power forward who was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2017 Afrobasket can provide the needed experience for the relatively young team.

“Hopefully, he is going to keep leading  these young players that are coming to the national team for the first time, teach them the right way and a very good way to represent Nigeria like he has been doing over the years.”

Nigeria will resume their world cup campaign on the 29th when they file out against Uganda at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos before facing Rwanda and Mali on the 30th of June and 1st of July respectively.