by Olusegun Ikuesan) africbasket.com
Nigeria U19 national team for Men has been invited for the 2010 NIKE Global Invitational tournament holding from august 5 through 9, 2010 in Portland Oregon, United States of America.
According to the president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, Tijjani Umar Nigeria invitation is sequel to the partnership between the NBBF and the sports wear manufacturing giant, NIKE.
The NBBF president says Nigeria will parade bulk of the nations U16 team who won bronze at the 2009 FIBA Africa U16 Championship in Maputo, Mozambique.
Nigeria will take part in the 5-day invitational tourney alongside, USA, France, Brazil, Canada and 30 former high school players.
The Nigeria federation president says the decision to make the U16 players form bulk of the team is to allow for continuity as Nigeria will be taking part in the 17th edition of the FIBA Africa Championship for U18 Men later in the year in Kigali, Rwanda.
He said though other players who are within the age bracket will also be given a look-in by the coaching crew because the aim of accepting to take part in the NIKE Global Invitational was to expose these players to bigger competition before the Africa U18 Championship in august this year.
Each country will be represented by ten players due to the number of days of the tournament.