Nigeria basketball team triumph in AfroBasket also qualify for Rio Olympics

Michael Gbinije and his Nigeria basketball team have won a spot in the 2016 Olympics in Rio after the Nigeria team dethroned Angola in the final of AfroBasket 2015, overwhelming the perennial African champion 74-65 today in Tunisia. The win means Nigeria not only won its first-ever AfroBasket title, it also captured the automatic qualifying spot to the 2016 Olympic Games.

"It's a big swag booster for me," Gbinije said today by message, "because I can refer to myself as an Olympian."

Gbinije, the Syracuse basketball senior, scored five points in Nigeria's win. His two first-half points came on free throws after he was fouled attacking the rim.

Nigeria took a 13-point lead into the locker room at the half.

In the second half, Gbinije buried a deep 3-point shot to stretch the Nigerian lead:

Nigeria dominated the backboards 60-37 and outscored Angola 33-8 from the free throw line. Gbinije grabbed three rebounds and continued to play solid defense in Sunday's game. The Syracuse guard played 15 minutes, 16 seconds in the title contest. He shot 1-of-2 from the floor and made both of his free throw attempts.

Champ Oguchi led the Nigerians with 19 points, seven rebounds.

Michael Gbinije was invited to try out for the Nigerian team because his father, Frank, is a native of that West African nation. Michael said today he wanted to "congratulate Nigeria" and its president, Muhammadu Buhari, whom he met during the AfroBasket tournament.

Mike Gbinije has never been to Nigeria. That did not prevent him from happily posing for photos with his Nigeria team members on the AfroBasket podium. Gbinije kept holding up his gold medal and smiling.

"Playing on this team was a unique experience for me," he said. "Overall, I enjoyed playing with these guys."

Frank Gbinije watched today's game via FIBA's live feed and was thrilled to see Nigeria win and his son contribute to the team's push to Rio.

"I'm pretty excited," Frank Gbinije said by telephone. "I'm glad he had the opportunity. I think it's been a wonderful experience for him and something he can carry into his senior season at Syracuse."

Michael Gbinije, his dad said, is expected to arrive in the United States on Tuesday. He will then travel home to Virginia and turn around the next day to make the trip to Syracuse.

THERE ARE NEW KINGS OF AFRICAN BASKETBALL! D'TIGERS ARE AFROBASKET CHAMPS! HERE WE COME RIO! Nigeria 74 Angola 65 pic.twitter.com/IbBNvKfZXG

— Nigeria Basketball (@NigeriaBasket) August 30, 2015