D’Tigress: NBBF sack coach one month to FIBA Women's World Cup

One month to the commencement of the 2018 FIBA Basketball Women's World Cup, the NBBF have let go of the head coach

The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) have announced the sack of head coach Sam Vincent of the National senior women's Basketball team, D'tigress, just a month before the start of the 2018 FIBA Women World Cup.

D'tigress are currently camped in Tenerife, Spain preparing for the tournament which will take place in from Saturday, September 22 to Sunday, September 30 2018.

According to a press release by Engineer Musa Kida the NBBF President, the decision to let go of Vincent is not one taken lightly given the preparations for the tournament.

However the release states that the 55-year-old tactician abandoned his players without properly informing his employers.

The statement reads, “The NBBF has been monitoring the situation in Atlanta closely and we are not satisfied with a lot of things. You left the National Women's Team Camp in Atlanta since Friday 27th July, 2018, without permission from anybody and you have continuously remained absent.

"Following investigations, the 2017 Afrobasket winning coach was found guilty of abandoning the team due to other conflicting professional engagements within the United States of America where the team is currently camped."

 

The NBBF decided to let go of Vincent due to unavailability which is stated is not what the team needs at this crucial stage of preparation.

“Be informed that you are hereby relieved of your appointment as our National Women's Coach, to allow you concentrate better on your other activities,” the letter to Vincent stated.

The NBBF thanked Vincent for his role in qualifying D'tigress for the tournament and also winning the 2017 Afrobasket Championship.

 

The NBBF also stated clearly that Vincent will be compensated for his efforts in charge of the team.

Assistant coach, Peter Ahmedu will be temporarily in charge of the squad and will be assisted by Sola Shomala until the appointment of a new head coach.

D'Tigress are drawn in group B of the World Cup and will face Australia, Turkey and Argentina in the group stage.