Nigeria's junior basketball team, also known as the J'Tigers, has been handed a tough draw for the 2024 FIBA U18 AfroBasket.
The draw ceremony, held in South Africa, placed Nigeria’s junior men in Group B, while the women will compete in Pool C.
The men’s team, also known as the J'Tigers, will attempt to claim their 8th title but will face strong competition from Egypt, Angola, and Uganda.
Humphrey Fubara Onyenabor, who coached the team to secure a spot at the FIBA Africa Zone 3 U18 Qualifiers held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire earlier in August, is confident that his squad will perform well.
Group A includes Mali, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, and Senegal, while Group C features host South Africa along with Morocco, Zambia, and Rwanda.
In the women’s category, Nigeria is drawn with Egypt, Zimbabwe, and Uganda in Pool C. They will need to replicate the strategy that earned them their spot at the qualifiers in Abidjan, where they defeated Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire decisively.
Host South Africa leads Group A, joined by Tunisia, Cameroon, and Rwanda.
Perennial U-18 champions Mali will begin their title defense in Group B and will compete against Morocco, Zambia, and Angola.
The South African championship, which serves as a qualifier for the FIBA U-19 World Cup in 2025 in Switzerland, will take place from September 1 to 14.
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