The Nigeria Basketball Special Task Force has pencilled down two foreign coaches who would be saddled with the responsibilities of building a formidable national team for the African Basketball Championship in Libya later this year.

Trustsports authoritatively gathered that the Tijjani Umar-led Task Force interviewed in Abuja on Thursday some of the coaches who have indicated interest of coaching the D'Tigers and found Dennis Felton and Myke Scholl, as the most suitable for the job.

Both Felton and Scholl are currently in Nigeria for the Big Man Camp Africa project, a training programme essentially for young players aiming to pursue professional career in the United States.

Sources hinted Trustsports that both coaches showed sound knowledge of modern game and willingness to work and develop the budding Nigerian talents abound in the country and around the world.

Felton, 46, was a former Head Coach of University of Georgia, where he built a reputation as a hardworking trainer. He brought back his UGA team from the brink and led them to an unprecedented run in SEC Tournament Championship history in the 2007-2008 season. He was, however, sacked after a losing streak that left the team with a 9-11 record in mid-season. He finished his career as the coach of UGA Men's Basketball team with a 84-91 record.

Scholl, an associate head coach of Loyola Marymount University, was a former handler of South Africa men's basketball team. He has travelled widely across Africa teaching young players and is a regular face in the Big Man Camp and Basketball Without Borders projects.

Trustsports gathered that Scholl may be asked to assist Felton in the D'Tigers coaching crew that will also include Ujiri Masai, a former Nigeria international, who is the Assistant General Manager of Toronto Raptors, as associate coach and team co-ordinator.

Felton, who told Trustsports that he was highly impressed with the talent and enthusiasm of the young basketball players in the Big Man Camp, said it would be a great opportunity and challenge for him if he is to be named the coach of D'Tigers for the African Championship in Libya.

"It 's a great opportunity from the standpoint that Nigeria has enjoyed tremendous talent and resources but not able to excel in basketball and it's a great because the primary goal is to win the first African Cup for Nigeria and that challenge is inspiring and even more inspiring is the qualifying to the London Olympics in 2012.

"So that kind of competitive challenge and the opportunity to work with good people and such eager players is what inspires me to be interested in the opportunity," he said, extolling the qualities of a Nigerian basketball players, who he described as "strong, rugged, aggressive and play with lot of intensity and effort which is close to my heart."

Among those who applied for the D'Tigers are former D'Tigers coach Sam Vincent; Alex Nwora, a Nigerian and Head Coach of Ene Community College in Buffalo, New York; Dean Murray, an assistant coach of LG Sakers in the Korean Basketball League; Alain Weisz, a former Head Coach of French National Team to the European Championship in 2003; Fabio Fossati, Italian Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2005 and Tod Bozeman, a first class College Basketball Coach in the United States.