Duro Ikhazuagbe
After defeating Cape Verde 77-62 yesterday to make it three wins out of three games of Group B of the 2025 Afrobasket mini-qualification series, Nigeria’s D’Tigers have now shifted their focus to the tournament proper scheduled to take place in Angola in August.
The 2015 Afrobasket champions just like in the other two games earlier against hosts Libya and Uganda, began the day on the wrong foot, losing the first quarter 22-26. They however picked up the gauntlet, to win the second quarter 26-7 and lost the third quarter 13-21. D’Tigers rallied to take the fourth and final quarter 16-8 to land in the tournament proper in Angola.
Libya however won the Group B with 10 points both Cape Verde and Nigeria that tied on nine points each finished second and third respectively to book their spots in the Afrobasket 2025. Uganda that finished fourth on eight points also qualified for the tournament as one of the best fourth placed teams.
D’Tigers staged a remarkable comeback after starting the qualifiers with three consecutive losses. The team however delivered huge performances against Libya and Uganda on Friday and Saturday to reawaken their quests to make it to the Afrobasket tournament in Angola. The convincing win over Cape Verde in their final game on Sunday was the icing on the cake of the Nigerians whose female counterparts have ruled the tournament four consecutive times.
This year’s tournament will be the 31st edition of the FIBA Afrobasket, with Tunisia as defending champions. The tournament to be hosted by Angola for the fourth time will hold between 12 and 24 August, 2025.
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