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Tag 2019 FIBA World Cup

Sport

Spain beat Argentina 95-75 to win FIBA World Cup

Champions

Beijing, Sept. 15, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Spain beat Argentina 95-75 to win the FIBA Basketball World Cup for the first time since 2006 on Sunday.

Their victory in the final capped a stunning campaign for a squad considered among the rank outsiders when the 32-team tournament began.

The Spaniards scored first and never relinquished the lead, relying on swarming interior defence and superior rebounding to snuff out the offensive threat of 2004 Olympic champions Argentina.

Point guard Ricky Rubio racked up 20 points and three assists and Marc Gasol and Willy Hernangomez swatted three shots each as Spain pulled down 47 rebounds, 20 more than Argentina.

For Gasol it was the crowning achievement of an incredible year that saw him win an NBA World Championship with the Toronto Raptors before leading his national team to glory.

His 33 points in the semi-final victory over Australia put them in position to fight for the gold medal, but it was his defence that put them on the top step of the podium.

From the opening tip, the 34-year-old dominated the driving lanes to the basket that Argentina had used to such great effect against France, forcing them into outside shots that would not fall.

He was equally effective banging under the basket at the other end and he hit nine of his 12 free throws to maintain the gap between the two teams.

He and Rubio were rewarded for their performances in Spain’s unbeaten run to the gold medal with a place in the tournament’s five-man All-Star team, which was announced after the final.

There was to be no fairytale ending for the seemingly evergreen Argentinian Luis Scola, whose superb show against France had helped to carry his side into the final.

The 39-year-old power forward, his jet-black hair now flecked with grey at the temples, was kept well-shackled throughout.

And it was late in the third quarter before he notched up his first point from the free throw line.

The 2019 win for Spain marks the second time they have won the tournament on Asian soil, having claimed the 2006 title by beating Greece in Saitama, Japan.

Earlier in the day, Nando De Colo netted 19 points as France shot 43 per cent from behind the arc to take their second consecutive World Cup bronze medal with a 67-59 win over Australia. (Reuters/NAN)

KIA/AFA

Edited by Felix Ajide

 

Sport

FIBA 2019: D’Tigers edge West African rivals Cote d’Ivoire 83-66 in first classification game

D’Tigers

Abuja, Sept. 6, 2019 (NAN) Nigeria’s national men’s basketball team, D’Tigers on Friday in China at the ongoing FIBA World Cup defeated Cote d’Ivoire 83-66 in their first classification phase game.

Having finished third in Group B with three points, the D’Tigers entered into the classification phase of the tournament as Africa’s top performers.

They are therefore poised to clinch Africa’s sole automatic ticket for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

The Nigerian side took the keenly contested first quarter 24-18 but crumbled in the second quarter with some sloppy displays which allowed the Ivorians a 17-13 win.

However, D’Tigers bounced back in the third quarter, with Al-Farouk Aminu and Nnamdi Vincent constantly asking questions of the Ivorian defence.

The two West African countries shared the spoil 20-20 in the final quarter of the highly entertaining game, but D’Tigers did just enough to run away as winners.

Nigeria had defeated Cote d’Ivoire in Lagos 84-73 points during the World Cup qualifiers before suffering an away 72-46 points defeat in Abidjan later.

Although, Ike Diogu had nine rebounds, while Vincent scored D’Tigers’ highest points (15), Aminu was Nigeria’s best performer with 13 points, 7 rebounds, four assists and 2 steals.

D’Tigers will now focus on hosts China, who they will play in their second classification game at the Guangzhou Gymnasium, China.

A victory against China will earn D’Tigers the highest placed in Africa, having enjoyed a better points deficit compared to the other four African teams.

Musa Kida, the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) President, had said it was important for the team to grab the only automatic ticket on offer to Africa for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

He said that playing the qualifiers would have huge financial implications on the board. (NAN)
KIA/KOLE/PDE
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(Edited by Remi Koleoso/Peter Ejiofor)

Sport

FIBA Basketball World Cup: Angola seal first win in thriller against Philippines

Angola
By Muhyideen Jimoh
Abuja, Sept. 4, 2019 (NAN) Angola on Wednesday in Foshan needed five extra minutes to beat Philippines 84-81 in the last game of Group D at the ongoing FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in China.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the win was the Angolans’ first in the 32-team tournament, helping them to advance to the Classification Round.

Angola, who are one of the competition’s African representatives, will now move to Beijing on the back of a 1-2 mark while Philippines conceded their third defeat in as many games.

Six Angolan players scored in double digits during the game, including Valdelicio Joaquim who finished with a team-high 20 points.

Jacques Conceicao, Carlos Morais and Reggie Moore combined for 33 points and Yanick Moreira added a double-double 12 points and 15 rebounds.

Meanwhile, Andray Blatche came up with yet another double-double performance finishing with a game-high 23 points and added 12 rebounds to his account.

Jaymar Perez hit 3-for-8 from beyond the arc, finishing with 17 points in the losing cause.

The turning point of the game was when, trailing 75-76, Angola’s head coach Will Voigt called a timeout.

It helped to draw a three-point play by Reggie Moore which put the Angolans in front 78-76, and the former African champions never trailed again, sealing a much-awaited win.

Earlier, while Nigeria beat South Korea 108-66, Tunisia lost 64-67 to Puerto Rico in their last group games respectively.

Africa is also being represented at the World Cup by Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal.(NAN)
MUYI/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Kida says D’Tigers’ target now automatic Tokyo Olympics ticket

Basketball
By Babatunde Ogunrinde
Lagos, Sept. 3, 2019 (NAN) D’Tigers have now shifted their attention to qualifying for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Musa Kida, President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), said on Tuesday.

Kida said Nigeria’s senior national male basketball team, after two successive losses against Russia and Argentina at the ongoing FIBA World Cup in China, have now refocused.

“Finishing at the World Cup as the highest-placed African team is now a major catch for the team and they are motivated to book an automatic 2020 Olympic Games ticket,’’ he said in a statement by Afolabi Oni, NBBF board member and media representative.

Kida said he and the players have, in order to achieve this, set their eyes on victory against South Korea on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the team has already bowed out of the contention for a medal finish in China.

“Clearly, for us, the qualification (for the Olympic Games) through the World Cup is still there and if we beat South Korea, I am sure we will come out as the best performing African country in the World Cup.

“This will give us an automatic ticket to the 2020 Olympics,’’ the NBBF president, who lamented Saturday’s loss against Russia in a match he described as “winnable’’, said.

Kida, however, noted that the failure to emerge as the best African team for an automatic Olympics ticket would mean for the NBBF a return to the drawing board.

“We are still alive and on course for the Olympics. Even if that doesn’t happen, we will still go for the Olympic qualifiers, and we will have to immediately start preparations.”

Meanwhile, current FIBA Afrobasket Women champions D’Tigress will return to Dakar where they won their fourth title to start their Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in November.(NAN)
BAO/DE/OLAL
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(Edited by Dorcas Jonah and Olawale Alabi)

Sport

2019 FIBA World Cup: Nwora says D’Tigers confident of good performance in China

Preparations
By Babatunde Ogunrinde
Lagos, Aug. 15, 2019 (NAN) Alex Nwora, the Head Coach of D’Tigers, on Thursday in lagos said his team was confident of going beyond the quarter-final stage of the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China.

“We have quality players who are performing at the top level in Europe and the U.S, and we have played some friendly matches against some top sides. Indeed we are very confident of making it to the podium.

“We played against two teams also heading to the World Cup, Canada and the Dominican Republic, and having won three games out four times we met all is indeed good for our team spirit,’’ he said.

Nwora however promised that his team would have to continue working hard because the task ahead was very huge.

“However, we just have to continue to work hard as the World Cup is no playground and there are no easy teams. We just have to fight hard to get past the group stage and beyond,’’ he said.

The coach however expressed his team’s gratitude to the Nigeria Basketball federation (NBBF).

“We say a big `thank you’ to the federations, as it has done well to ensure we continue to get the best preparationss since as far back as July when we started out in New York,” Nwora said.

Speaking also, team captain Ike Diogu said his team was ready to do the nation proud.

“So far so good, the training process has been really good.

“There is a lot of cohesion in the team. The games we played against the Dominican Republic and Canada have proved how competitive we are and our level of readiness.

“Also, we have a high number of Europe-based players and other quality players from the NBA in the U.S. Indeed, we are ready for the World Cup.

“When we play, we play as a team for the country and for Africa as a whole. We look forward to the competition with keen interest, and we fear nobody,” Diogu said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that D’Tigers, Nigeria’s senior men national basketball team, have been finalising their preparations for the World Cup at the National Stadium in Lagos.

They have been drawn in Group B alongside Russia, Argentina and South Korea at the competition which gets underway on Aug. 31 and ends on Sept.15.(NAN)
BAO/DEB/OLAL
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(Edited by Debo Oshundun and Olawale Alabi)

Sport

2019 FIBA World Cup: D’Tigers drawn in Group B against Russia, Argentina, South Korea

Draw
Abuja, March 16, 2019 (NAN) Nigeria’s senior national male basketball team, D’Tigers, will face Russia, Argentina and South Korea at the 2019 FIBA World Cup, following the draw conducted on Saturday at Shenzhen in China.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Draw was presented by Wanda, before a crowd of 8,000 spectators at the Shenzhen Bay Arena.

The draw sets out the path for the 32 participating teams in their journey to be crowned world champions in FIBA’s flagship competition on Sept. 15.

D’Tigers have been drawn in Group B and will play their group games in Wuhan, with familiar foes Argentina looking for now to be their biggest opponents.

In Nigeria’s first appearance at the global stage, the South Americans beat them 68-51 in their Group D game at the 1998 edition of the 16-team FIBA World Championship in Greece.

D’Tigers lost all three group matches, but finally finished 13th in the competition which is now known as the FIBA World Cup, after winning their two classification matches.

Their classification phase semi-final game was against South Korea, now their Group B opponents in China, and they won 89-65, before going on to beat Japan.

Argentina were 98-64 winners when both sides met in Group A at the championship’s 2006 edition in Japan, where D’Tigers finished 14th or joint 9th among 24 teams.

They had finished third earlier in their group, after two wins and three losses, but a 77-78 loss to Germany in the Round of 16 ended their campaign.

Fellow west Africans Cote d’Ivoire are in Group A alongside Poland, Venezuela and hosts China, and will play their games in the Chinese capital city of Beijing.

Senegal are drawn in Group H to face Canada, Lithuania and Australia in Dongguan, while defending champions U.S. are in Group E based in Shanghai with Turkey, Czech Republic and Japan.

Group D, which has another African country in Angola, will play in Foshan, with Serbia, Italy and the Philippines completing the group.

Tunisia are placed in Group C, along with the Republic of Ireland, Tunisia and Portugal, and will be based in Guangzhou.

Group F has Greece, New Zealand, Brazil and Montenegro amd will play in Nanjing, while the Dominican Republic, France Germany and Jordan will do battle at Shenzhen in Group G.

Global sporting icon and FIBA World Cup Ambassador Kobe Bryant, together with American best-selling singer/songwriter Jason Derulo, headlined the event.

The milestone event on the Road to China 2019 took place under the watchful eyes of FIBA President Horacio Muratore, FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis and representatives from the 32 participating national teams.

Group A – Beijing

Cote d’Ivoire
Poland
Venezuela
China

Group B – Wuhan

Russia
Argentina
South Korea
Nigeria

Group C – Guangzhou

Spain
Republic of Ireland
Puerto Rico
Tunisia

Group D – Foshan

Angola
The Philippines
Italy
Serbia

Group E – Shanghai

Turkey
Czech Republic
U.S.
Japan

Group F – Nanjing

Greece
New Zealand
Brazil
Montenegro

Group G – Shenzhen

France
Dominican Republic
Germany
Jordan

Group H – Dangguan

Canada
Senegal
Lithuania
Australia
(NAN)
KIA/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)