LONDON — There's a distinct American swagger to the Nigerian men's basketball team — which has no fear of the U.S. Olympic squad.
The Nigerians have played in pickup games and in the NBA with members of the star-studded group — even beaten some of them from time to time.
That's not likely to happen Thursday when the team's meet. The U.S. has won its first two games by an average of 37 points, though that doesn't seem to faze opponents. Certainly not Nigeria.
Guard Tony Skinn, part of George Mason's run to the 2006 NCAA Final Four, says "obviously we're Nigerians, but we play in the States and I don't think we have that mentality to just come in the game and just ... get our (butts) whooped."
They will face a rested U.S. team, which did not practice Wednesday.