Nigeria senior men basketball team, D’Tigers, don comot for the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket championship after dem lose 91-75 to Senegal for quarter-final match wey happen for Pavilhao Multiusos de Luanda, Angola on Wednesday.
Na the ninth time wey Nigeria and Senegal dey meet for history, and Nigeria don win five out of the eight games before. As 2015 champions, D’Tigers win all their group stage matches against Madagascar, Tunisia and Cameroon to top Group B. But Senegal pass through playoff with South Sudan before dem reach quarter-final.
Coach Mohammed Abdulrahman and him boys start well as dem win first quarter 24-23. But for second quarter, Jean-Jacques Boissy show him level as Senegal take that round 30-18, carry 11-point lead enter halftime.
Third quarter, Senegal press D’Tigers well and win am 23-13. D’Tigers try come back for last quarter, win am 20-15, but e no reach to turn the game around.
Nigeria try 73 field goals but only 35.6% enter. Dem get 35 rebounds, 14 assists, 8 steals and 3 blocks. Senegal try 70 field goals, 47.1% enter, dem get 53 rebounds, 14 assists, 5 steals and 16 turnovers.
Even though the match tough for Nigeria, co-captain Ike Nwamu score 15 points. Stan Okoye, Caleb Agada and Martins Igbanu score 14, 12 and 12 points each.
Senegal win mainly because Brancou Badio score game-high 32 points. Jean-Jacques Boissy add 19 points and Moustapha Pape-Diop drop 14 points.
This loss mean say Nigeria don waka comot from the tournament for quarter-final stage. Now, dem go focus on the FIBA Men’s World Cup Qualifiers wey go start for November, as dem dey plan to qualify for the next edition wey go happen for Qatar in 2027, since dem miss the 2023 edition.
