Boluwatife Kehinde
D’Tigers will face Guinea in their second match on Saturday after experiencing an 88-78 defeat against Tunisia in their opening game of the 2027 FIBA Men’s World Cup qualification series.
Regrettably, the tournament commenced with a loss. Nigeria’s last World Cup participation in 2019 concluded in the first round, and the team did not qualify for the 2023 edition.
The first match left a disappointing impression.
Although D’Tigers held a lead after the first quarter (15-12), Tunisia made a strong comeback, leading 35-32 by halftime, largely thanks to veterans Oussama Marnaoui and Omar Abada’s impressive performances.
The third quarter proved to be a competitive exchange, with both teams demonstrating skill and resilience as they each amassed eight uncontested points at different junctions. The quarter concluded with the score tied at 53-53.
An additional 20 points from both teams in the final quarter resulted in the game extending into overtime. Tunisia emerged stronger during this decisive period, ultimately securing a significant victory.
Talib Zanna was the standout performer for D’Tigers, contributing 22 points to the team’s effort, while his teammate Morris Udeze also scored in double figures with 10 points.
Meanwhile,Team captain Ike Nwamu expressed that the loss was due to a lack of organization and limited time spent together before the qualifiers. He mentioned that players are still developing their on-court understanding, impacting their performance in critical moments.
Nwamu also pointed out that turnovers significantly influenced the result, highlighting the need for improvement in that area to advance, as similar mistakes occurred during the AfroBasket qualifiers.
Throughout the group stage, teams will face each other once again in the concluding half of the first round. The top three teams from the group will qualify for the final round.
The top five teams from Africa will secure spots in the World Cup, scheduled to take place in Qatar from August 27 to September 12.
