D’Tigers ranked fourth best team in Olympics in FIBA Power Rankings
Australia in first place, USA in third place
Despite being ranked 22nd in the world, Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, has been listed as the fourth-best team in the men’s basketball category on the FIBA Power Rankings at this year’s Tokyo Olympics as the competition nears its commencement. D’Tigers won two and lost one of three exhibition matches against top-level opposition ahead of the Games.
After a record-breaking 90-87 win over a USA side ranked first in the world by FIBA in their first match, D’Tigers went on to defeat fourth-ranked Argentina 94-71 in their second exhibition match before bowing to Australia 108-69 in their last exhibition match before the Games. On the FIBA power rankings, Australia are ranked 1st, with Spain in 2nd place, the USA in 3rd and Nigeria in 4th.
D’Tigers would face Germany, Italy and Australia in their group at the Olympics, with the Italians ranked in 7th place and the Germans in 9th. Coach Mike Brown and the D’Tigers players are understood to be looking to become the first African side to achieve a podium finish in basketball, and they would have to put in a lot of work to achieve this feat in Tokyo.
