Commonwealth Games: D’Tigers lose 67-82 to Canada

The Canadian national basketball team on Saturday defeated the Nigerian national male basketball team, D’Tigers, 82-67 points at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.

The Nigerians had lost their first preliminary qualification game against the Tall Blacks of New Zealand on Friday and have now all but crashed out of the tournament.

Canada were favourites going into the game, and in the game’s first quarter Canada took a 23-16 points lead, while D’Tigers took a narrow lead of 21-20 in the second period.

D’Tigers also rallied to take another slim lead in the third quarter, pipping Canada by 15-14 points, with both leads doing little to peg the North Americans back.

It was in the final period, however, that Canada extended their domination, taking 25 points against D’Tigers’ 15.

The Nigerian basketball team are now in the bottom of Pool A, having played two matches and lost both.

Pool toppers New Zealand and second-placed Australia played their group’s other game later in the day.

Two teams will qualify for the semi-finals from each preliminary group, while the bottom two teams from Pools A and B will play for a place in the qualifying finals.

Nigeria’s final group match is against hosts Australia on Tuesday at 12 noon Nigerian time.

(NAN)