July 6 (THEWILL) — Nigeria’s D’Tigers opened their campaign in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 African Qualifiers with an emphatic 106-62 victory over Rwanda in Luanda, Angola, delivering one of the most dominant performances of the opening round.
The Nigerian senior men’s basketball team took control from the opening quarter at the Pavilhao Multiusos de Luanda and never looked back, building a double-digit lead early before extending their advantage in every period to complete a commanding 44-point win.
Caleb Agada produced a superb all-round display to lead the D’Tigers, finishing with 13 points, three rebounds, and eight assists in just over 24 minutes.
The guard also recorded four steals and one block while shooting an efficient 5-of-7 from the field, including 3-of-5 from three-point range.
Agada’s influence was felt at both ends of the court as he directed Nigeria’s offence with composure and anchored a defence that repeatedly forced Rwanda into costly turnovers.
Uche Iroegbu led all Nigerian scorers with 17 points and added six assists and five steals in another impressive performance, while Christian Mekowulu contributed 13 points and seven rebounds despite playing fewer than 16 minutes.
Chimezie Metu also made a significant impact with 10 points, six rebounds, two assists, three steals, and one block, while Ike Iroegbu finished with 10 points, four rebounds, and five assists as Nigeria showcased their attacking depth.
Rwanda struggled to match Nigeria’s intensity throughout the contest. Prince Twa was the standout performer for the East Africans, finishing with 16 points, four rebounds, and three assists.
He briefly sparked his side with an eight-point burst spanning the closing moments of the third quarter and the opening stages of the fourth, but it proved little more than consolation as Nigeria remained firmly in control.
The convincing victory gives D’Tigers a strong start to their qualifying campaign and underlines their ambition of securing a place at the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
