Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, moved within touching distance of the 2025 AfroBasket finals after a commanding 87-67 comeback victory against Uganda in their second Group B qualifier held in Tripoli on Saturday.
The win marked their second consecutive triumph in the final qualifying window, following a hard-fought 75-70 victory over hosts Libya on Friday.
Uganda started strong, dominating the early exchanges and taking both the first and second quarters 16-14 and 18-14, respectively, to lead 34-28 at halftime.
However, D’Tigers roared back in the second half with an impressive performance, outscoring Uganda 27-25 in the third quarter before completely overpowering them 32-8 in the final quarter to seal the win.
Caleb Agada continued his fine form from the Libya game with a game-high 20 points, while adding seven assists and three steals. Ike Nwamu contributed 18 points, with Talib Zanna recording a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds.
The victory follows Nigeria’s crucial win over Libya on Friday, where Agada also starred with a double-double performance of 14 points and 10 rebounds.
D’Tigers’ resurgence in this window comes after a disappointing first phase in February, where they suffered three consecutive defeats that left their qualification hopes hanging in the balance.
The Nigerian side will face group leaders Cape Verde on Sunday (today) in what could be a decisive clash for qualification to the finals in Angola in August.
A victory against Cape Verde would secure Nigeria’s spot at the continental championship, completing a remarkable turnaround after their poor start to the qualifying campaign.
