TheCable

The Federation of International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has congratulated D’Tigers for being the first team to qualify for the 2019 World Cup.

The Nigerian team qualified for the tournament on September 16, with three games left to play.

Alex Nwora’s boys are currently on a nine-match winning streak.

The feat was acknowledged by FIBA in a letter addressed to the NBBF on Tuesday.

The letter signed by Patrick Baumann, FIBA secretary general, read: “As we embarked on a new era with the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers, your early successful qualification, well before the end of the qualifications is a testimony to the strength of your team and of basketball in your country.

“Your Federation and its National Team can be proud of having achieved this important milestone and being part of the journey to China.

“Allow me to sincerely congratulate you, your National Federation and your players, on behalf also of our president, Mr Muratore on the qualification of your National Team to the FIBA Basketball World Cup which will be held in China next summer.”

FIBA said it remains upbeat that the 2019 tournament “will be remembered for long and will mark a new era in the history of basketball and its World Cup”.