Nigeria knocked off Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday to take third place at the 2011 FIBA Africa Championship in Madagascar. Along with bronze, Nigeria earns a bid to the last-chance Olympic qualifying tournament.
Nigeria Takes Third At FIBA Afrobasket 2011, Wins Bid To Olympic Qualifying Tournament
Nigeria had come into the knockout phase as one of four top seeds, but fell in the semifinals to perennial African champion Angola. Nigeria featured the tournament's only recent NBA player, Ime Udoka. In Sunday's bronze game, the former Spur had nine points. Nigeria was led by Derrick Obasohan, who finished with 19 points.
Cote d’Ivoire had fallen to Tunisia in a heartbreaker on Saturday, and now looks to Afrobasket 2013 and a potential spot in the 2014 FIBA World Championship.
The loser of the Afrobasket Championship game between Tunisia and Angola will also take a spot in the last-chance Olympic qualifying tournament. The winner of that game will move straight to the Olympic field. The 2012 London Olympics begin July 27, 2012.
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