The Nigeria Basketball Federation has called up 12 players for the final phase of camping ahead of the 2021 FIBA Afrobasket qualifiers holding between Wednesday, 17 and Sunday, 21 February in Tunisia.

Nigeria currently tops Group B after beating Rwanda, Mali and South Sudan, and D’Tigers will face all three countries in the reverse fixtures.

An NBBF statement said D’Tigers fans should expect ‘champagne basketball’ when the players converge on Monastir for the third window.

France-based trio Ifeoluwa Ajayi (Hermine Nantes), Said Hearst-Okpalannaka (Antibas) and Nwachukwu Moneke may make their international debuts for Nigeria after they were handed call ups alongside 2017 Afrobasket silver medallist, Ike Nwamu (Cholet) also based in France.

Spain-based shooting guard Obinna Emegano of Fuenlabrada makes a return to the team alongside point guard Ben Uzoh.

Captain Ike Diogu also returns as does Ike Iroegbu who emerged as one of the top performers during the last qualifying series averaging 15.7 points as Nigeria dominated Group B.

Turkey-based power forward, Abdul-Malik Abu, Michael Oguine, Michael Gbinije and Caleb Agada make up the rest of the squad.

The team will be led by assistant coach Mfon Udofia who is standing in for Head Coach Mike Brown.

Meanwhile, the NBBF says some players have also been put on standby pending the conclusion and outcome of players registration by the Federation of International Basketball Associations (FIBA).

Full List

Obinna Emegano (Point Guard, Fuenlabrada, Spain)

Ben Uzoh (Point Guard, Paris Basketball, France)

Ike Diogu

Ifeoluwa Ajayi (Small Forward, Harmine Nantes, France)

Nwachukwu Moneke (Power Forward, Orléans Loiret Basket, France)

Michael Oguine (Point Guard, Souffelweyersheim, France)

Ike Nwamu (Point Guard, Cholet, France)

Ike Iroegbu (Point Guard, SC Rasta Vechta, Germany)

Said Hearst-Okpalannaka (Shooting Guard, Antibas, France)

Abdul-Malik Abu (Power Forward, Lokman Hekim Fethiye Belediyespor, Turkey)

Mike Gbinije (Shooting Guard, BC Nevėžis)

Caleb Agada (Point Guard, Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel)