Nigerians excited after qualifying to first World Cup since 2006

LAGOS (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 African Qualifiers) - It took Nigeria over a decade to return to the FIBA Basketball World Cup, but now that they've secured their ticket to China 2019, fans, players, officials, and the local media have all erupted in joy. 

The Indoor Stadium in Lagos on Sunday was too small to accommodate fans eager to see their heroes dismantle Senegal 89-61 in a win that saw Nigeria extend their World Cup Qualifiers to a 9-0 record. 

Despite learning of their qualification the day before when they trounced the Central African Republic 114-69, the Nigerians remained as relentless.

"Everybody is excited because nobody on this team has made it to the World Cup before," said Nigeria captain Ike Diogu of his country earning its spot in FIBA's flagship competition for the first time since the 2006 edition in Japan.

The two-time Olympian went on saying: "When this group comes together, especially here in Nigeria, losing is not an option. We wanted to come here and send a message. We feel we are one of the better teams in Africa. We just came here and tried to dominate."

Diogu and Co lost to Senegal in the FIBA AfroBasket 2013 Quarter-Finals in Abidjan thereby ending their bid to qualify for the following year's World Cup. As such, there was a sense of unfinished business. 

"As long as we continue to keep progressing - we have a good group here - it’s really scary what Nigeria can do," Diogu noted, adding: "[The World Cup] was a goal of ours, but, now, that’s where the real work starts. We have a lot of stuff that we can work on ahead of us. We are a group of veterans and really talented young players in years to come."

"EVERYBODY IS EXCITED BECAUSE NOBODY ON THIS TEAM HAS MADE IT TO THE WORLD CUP BEFORE."- Diogu

Meanwhile, following Nigeria's emphatic World Cup Qualifier campaign, Alex Nwora was probably one of the happiest people in the country.

As the second choice (after Ime Udoka) to coach the D'Tigers - as Nwora recently admitted to FIBA.basketball - he has helped transform Nigeria men's team into a real Africa heavyweight.

Since his appointment in August 2017, Nwora has led his country to the FIBA AfroBasket 2017 Final - which they lost to Tunisia - but it's the 9-0 record that the team has registered in the World Cup Qualifiers that have cemented his status as the right man in the right job. Still, he preaches caution.

"We're happy, but we haven't finished business. We still have another window to play," he said minutes after Nigeria had dispatched CAF.

Nigeria's latest success marks the return of the West Africans to the World Cup for the first time in 12 years, and Nwora insists they are not going to China just to make up numbers.

"We have to keep getting better as a unit and we keep trying to identify guys that can play at that level of world championship as we go along," he explained.

“Nigerians are very optimistic that we are going there and try our best to be one of the teams on the podium at the end of the tournament. We don't just want to get there. We still want to beat those teams, put ourselves in a better position when we get there," he explained.

 Nigeria have beaten all six of their opponents, including heavyweights Senegal.

They will conclude their World Cup Qualifiers in February.

FIBA