The United States Olympic men’s basketball team have confirmed that they will be playing a friendly game with the Nigeria’s D’Tigers as part of their preparations for the Rio 2016 Games.
Nigeria is listed in the schedule of countries that will be part of a five-game playing tour of the star-studded American team.
The Americans will play two games against China — their first opponent in Rio de Janeiro — before facing Venezuela and Nigeria.
“We’ll face some excellent and experienced international teams, which will be important in our preparations,” US coach Mike Krzyzewski said in a statement. “Playing five exhibition games in the United States in front of home crowds will be memorable for our players and fans alike, and we look forward to representing the United States in the best manner we can.”
The U.S. team will be starting out against Argentina on July 22 at a Las Vegas site to be determined.
The Americans will then move to California for games against the Chinese on July 24 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and July 26 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, home of the NBA champion Golden State Warriors.
That will be followed by a game on July 29 at the United Center in Chicago against Venezuela, which qualified for the Olympics by winning last summer’s FIBA Americas championship, before the tour wraps up in Houston on Aug. 1 against African champion, Nigeria.
The D’Tigers will hope to put a better performance up against the Americans this time having been crushed by 83 points four years ago at the London Olympics.
The U.S. will then travel to Rio for the Aug. 6-21 tournament. The Americans will also play Venezuela again there during group play.
Meanwhile, it has also been confirmed that the Nigeria women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, will be playing two friendly games against Turkey and Argentina to put them in shape for the 2016 FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament (WOQT) in Nantes, France to be held from 13-19 June.
The friendly against Turkey comes up in Istanbul in May (27-28), while the Argentina game is billed for (8-9 June) in France.
The Nigeria women’s team are seeking qualification for the Olympics yet again after their last participation in the Athens 2004 edition.
All Credits: PREMIUMTIMES
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