Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, produced another commanding display on Sunday, defeating Rwanda 106-62 to complete a flawless qualifying window and secure passage to the second round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers.
The emphatic victory ensured Nigeria finished the three-game window with a perfect record, having earlier defeated Tunisia and Guinea, underscoring the team’s resurgence under head coach David Fizdale.
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Point guard Uche (U.C.) Iroegbu orchestrated the Nigerian offence with an outstanding all-round performance, finishing with 17 points and seven assists. Caleb Agada, Ikechukwu Mekowulu and Stan Okoye each contributed 13 points as D’Tigers showcased their attacking depth and defensive intensity.
Nigeria took control early and never looked back, dominating both ends of the floor to overwhelm the Rwandans in one of their most convincing performances in recent years.
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The victory capped an impressive turnaround for a team that entered the qualifying window under pressure to revive its World Cup hopes.
D’Tigers had opened the campaign with a hard-fought 84-81 victory over Tunisia, where Chimezie Metu and Ike Iroegbu scored 17 points apiece, Wes Iwundu added 14, while Uche Iroegbu contributed 13 points in a fiercely contested encounter.
They followed that with a dramatic 80-79 comeback victory against Guinea. Caleb Agada starred with 22 points, Uche Iroegbu added 14, and Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu chipped in 10 as Nigeria overturned a late deficit to claim their second consecutive win.
The triumph over Rwanda completed a clean sweep of the qualifying window, with the team demonstrating resilience, improved chemistry and consistent execution across all three games.
David Fizdale’s side displayed greater cohesion throughout the tournament, with experienced players and emerging talents combining effectively on both offence and defence.
The three victories significantly strengthen Nigeria’s quest to qualify for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup and restore confidence after previous setbacks in the qualification campaign.
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Having completed the first phase in impressive fashion, D’Tigers will now shift their attention to the second round of the African qualifiers, where they will face tougher opposition in the race for one of Africa’s places at the World Cup.
