August 17, (THEWILL) — Nigeria’s men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, claimed a 101-92 victory over Cameroon in their concluding Group B encounter at the FIBA AfroBasket 2025 in Luanda, Angola.
The result positioned them first in the group with an unbeaten run, granting automatic progression to the quarter-finals.
The opening quarter remained tight, Nigeria leading 28-27 after intense exchanges. Momentum shifted dramatically in the second period, where D’Tigers outscored their opponents 32-16 through sharp shooting and solid defence, entering the break at 60-43.
They extended dominance into the third quarter with a 26-12 advantage, pushing the score to 86-55. Cameroon responded vigorously in the final stanza, taking it 37-15 amid Nigeria’s reduced intensity, yet the margin held firm.
Josh Okogie emerged as a pivotal figure for Nigeria, contributing 16 points and seven assists. Teammates Caleb Agada, Stan Okoye, Chris Mekowulu, Jeremiah Igbanu, and Ike Nwamu each posted double-digit scores, bolstering a balanced attack.
On Cameroon’s side, Yves Thierry Ouwe Missi topped with 23 points, supported by efforts from other forwards, though defensive lapses earlier proved costly.
This success built on prior group wins against Madagascar at 77-59 and Tunisia, the title holders, at 87-66, reflecting consistent execution under head coach Abdulrahman Mohammed.
So far, team unity has propelled D’Tigers forward in what has been a competitive field.
Looking ahead, Nigeria confronts the victor of the Senegal-South Sudan qualifier in the quarter-finals on 20 August 20 at the same venue.
Their current trajectory suggests potential to challenge for the championship, absent from their grasp since 2015, amid heightened expectations from supporters back home.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
