Nigeria’s senior men’s team, the D’Tigers, has been eliminated from the ongoing 2025 FIBA AfroBasket competition after losing 91-75 to Senegal in the quarter-finals on Wednesday at the Pavilhao Multiusos de Luanda in Angola.
Both nations met for the ninth time in history, with Nigeria winning five of the previous eight meetings.
The 2015 champions won all three round-robin games against Madagascar, Tunisia, and Cameroon to finish first in Group B, while Senegal had to play a playoff against South Sudan to get to the last eight.
Head coach Mohammed Abdulrahman’s team led 24-23 in the first quarter, but they lost their way in the second quarter as the remarkable Jean-Jacques Boissy came on strong, and Senegal took the following 10 minutes 30-18 to lead by 11 points at halftime.
When the third quarter resumed, the Francophone country increased the pressure, which paid off when they triumphed 23-13.
However, D’Tigers mounted a remarkable comeback in the fourth and final quarters in a desperate attempt to save their tournament spot, but it was too late as they were edged 20-15 by the Senegalese.
Nigeria attempted 73 field goals and converted 35.6 per cent of them. The team totalled 35 rebounds, while also recording 14 assists, eight steals, and three blocks.
Senegal, on the other side, attempted 70 field goals, made 47.1% of them, grabbed 53 rebounds, had 14 assists, five steals, and 16 turnovers.
Despite D’Tigers’ dismal performance, co-captain Ike Nwamu led the squad with 15 points, while Stan Okoye, Caleb Agada, and Martins Igbanu each scored 14, 12, and 12 points.
Brancou Badio, who led Senegal with 32 points, was vital in the team’s triumph. Jean-Jacques Boissy contributed 19 points, while Moustapha Pape-Diop scored 14 on the night.
Nigeria would be eliminated from the quadrennial competition in the quarterfinals as a result of the loss.
Their focus will now shift to the FIBA Men’s World Cup Qualifying Series, which begins in November, as they attempt to secure a spot in the next edition of the championship, which will be held in Qatar in 2027, after missing out on the 2023 edition.
