AfroBasket: D’Tigers’ dream ends in humiliating loss News

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AfroBasket: D’Tigers’ dream ends in humiliating loss

By Daily Sports Nigeria on August 21, 2025

Nigeria’s senior men’s team, D’Tigers, have been knocked out of the ongoing 2025 FIBA AfroBasket championship, following a 91-75 defeat to Senegal in their quarter-final encounter at the Pavilhao Multiusos de Luanda in Angola on Wednesday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Both nations were meeting for the ninth time in history, with Nigeria having won five of the previous eight encounters between them. The 2015 champions had won all three round-robin games at the tournament against Madagascar, Tunisia and Cameroon to finish top of Group B, while Senegal needed to go through a playoff against South Sudan to reach the last-eight.

Head coach Mohammed Abdulrahman’s side had edged the first quarter 24-23, but they lost the plot during the second quarter as the impressive Jean-Jacques Boissy turned up in style as Senegal took the next 10 minutes 30-18 to open up an 11-point advantage heading into the interval.

Upon resumption of the third quarter, the Francophone nation piled on the pressure which ultimately paid dividends as they won 23-13. However, D’Tigers launched a thrilling comeback in the fourth and final quarter in a desperate bid to salvage their stay in the tournament, but it was too late as they edged the Senegalese 20-15.

Nigeria made a total of 73 field goals attempts, and registered 35.6 per cent field goals. Total rebounds stood at 35, while the team registered 14 assists, eight steals and three blocks. On the other hand, Senegal recorded 70 field goals attempts, 47.1 per cent field goals, 53 rebounds, 14 assists, five steals and 16 turnovers.

Despite the torrid outing for Nigeria, co-captain Ike Nwamu put up a team-high 15 points, while Stan Okoye, Caleb Agada and Martins Igbanu all scored 14, 12, and 12 points respectively.

Crucial to Senegal’s victory was Brancou Badio, who scored a game-high 32 points. Jean-Jacques Boissy also chipped in with 19 points, while Moustapha Pape-Diop registered 14 points on the night.

The loss sees Nigeria exit the quadrennial competition in the quarter-finals. Their attention now will turn to the FIBA Men’s World Cup Qualifying Series set to commence in November, as they bid to book a ticket for the next edition of the competition set to hold in Qatar in 2027, having missed out on the 2023 edition.

Source Punch Ng

Posted August 21, 2025