DTigers
By Abayomi Grace
The D’Tigers, Nigeria’s men’s basketball team, dominated the defending champions Tunisia with a convincing 87-66 victory, securing a 21-point margin in their second Group B match at the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket Championship in Angola. This win marks their second consecutive success in the tournament, following a 77-59 triumph over Madagascar earlier in the week.
The team’s disciplined defense and fluid offense proved too much for Tunisia, who were without key veterans like Makram Romdhane and Radhouane Slimane. Nigeria seized control from the start, racing to a 10-0 lead and maintaining their dominance throughout the game. They outscored Tunisia in each quarter, except for a closely contested fourth quarter.
Josh Okogie led the team with a career-high 33 points, six rebounds, two assists, and one block, showcasing his exceptional skill and form. Caleb Agada contributed nine points, while Ike Nwamu, Talib Zanna, and Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu also played crucial roles in the team’s success. Despite efforts to close the gap, Tunisia’s top scorers, Omar Abada with 15 points and Yacine Toumi with 13 points, couldn’t stop the D’Tigers’ momentum.
The victory positions D’Tigers favorably for a direct quarterfinal berth, with their final Group B match against Cameroon on August 17 looming as a critical test. A win would put them in a strong position to advance to the quarterfinals and make a deep run in the tournament. The D’Tigers’ win revives memories of their historic 2015 Afrobasket triumph, the country’s only men’s continental title to date. Since then, they have come close on three occasions as runners-up, but a decade-long wait for a second championship continues to weigh heavily on the team.
