Still dreaming big for Nigerian Basketball

At 35, (twilight of his career) and leading Nigeria’s D’Tigers-Nigeria basketball team, Ikechukwu Somtochukwu Diogu, cast back to conclude that choosing to play for his fatherland has been good for him.

“Nigeria has done well for and I am saying this with all sense of gratitude,” he said.

Fresh from qualifying for the 2019 FIBA Men’s World Cup coming up next year in China, the former NBA player said he has had a great time playing with the Nigerian team. “There have been wonderful moments more than I can remember. Times that I have to share with colleagues and each time we laugh. I have bonded with my country and people even thought I was not born here and there is a lot for me to celebrate.”

D’ Tigers beat Senegal 89-61 last weekend to wrap up their qualification for the 2019 FIBA Men’s World Cup in September 2019.The game was a formality as D’ Tigers already beat the Central African Republic (CAF) 114-69 to qualify for the world tournament with one game to spare.

In the game against Senegal Diogu shone like a million star.

“I am the captain and others are looking to me for inspiration,” he explained.

Diogu was practically on fire. Diogu headlined  the D’Tigers performance  with  17 points and  nine rebounds while NBA star Al-Farouq Aminu contributed 12points and eight rebounds while Ike Iroegbu had 10points and 5 assists.D’Tigers came out fast and took the first quarter 27-14 and the second quarter 22-17. They went on to take three quarters with Senegal winning just one.

The Senegalese tried to get back into the encounter as they won the third quarter 18-17 but were trailing by a massive amount of points.

Even though D’Tigers have qualified for the World Cup they will still face Cote d’Ivoire whom they beat 84-73, CAF and Senegal in the return fixtures of the qualification series scheduled for February 2019.

“When we moved to Texas, he encouraged me to play basketball and that drive helped me to develop on my focus on the game. He has been there for me.”

However it was at University of Arizona that his game blossom. “I became instant hit at Arizona State University team, to earn the Pac 10 Freshman of the Year honours and helped the Sun Devils (as the College team is called) into the second round of all college championship in 2003.”

That year, Ike averaged tops the scoring and rebounding chart and was a star in the making.

“I was the first ever Arizona State player to be voted to pre-season All-American honours and as one of 20 finalists for the Naismith Player of the Year award in 2003-04.”

The following year was even better for him, he said. “As a Junior, I was led the Pac 10 in scoring with 22.6 PPG and rebounding with 9.8 RPG, as well as in field-goal percentage and offensive rebounds and on the other side of the floor with blocked shots, averaging a fantastic 2.34 per game. I was enjoying myself and doing well. In fact I did not want to move to the NBA, in spite of the fact that my name was on every ones lip. That was when I moved to Warriors and became a professional.”

On November 23rd, 2005, Ike made his debut in the NBA and it didn’t take too long for him to Ike to find his feet. Exactly one month later, Ike had a game of his life against Pistons. Ike finished with 27 points and 7 rebounds and he was on his way to bigger things as one would think.

“Coach Montgomery, to my utter dismay, refused to field me. He would use for 15 minutes. That was not good for me and discouraging.”

He said he moved on to other clubs: Indiana Pacers, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs.

Ike admitted that he became a different player upon coming to Nigeria.

“Though, I was born in the United States, I was closer to Nigeria because my parents always identify with their people back home. All our activities were around Nigerians and there are places we go that we only speak Igbo. By my teenage years I already understood the Igbo language and that helped