AFCON 2025
Nigeria’s D’Tigers closed out the first phase of the second round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers on a high note, thrashing Cape Verde 100-84 in Radès, Tunisia, after back-to-back losses to Cameroon and South Sudan earlier in the window.
Caleb Agada led the way for David Fizdale’s side, finishing with 26 points, five rebounds and six assists in a well-rounded performance that set the tone for Nigeria’s dominant display. Josh Okogie was equally influential, contributing 15 points, eight rebounds and a game-high 10 assists, underlining his all-round value beyond scoring.
Ike Nwamu chipped in with 14 points, two rebounds and five assists, while Emmanuel Abogidi added 11 points and four rebounds off the bench. Ugonna Azubuike and Ejike Izundu also got in on the scoring, with Izundu rounding out a strong outing with eight points and eight rebounds.
Cape Verde, who could not match Nigeria’s depth on the night, were carried almost single-handedly by Ivandro Almeida, who top-scored for the game with 34 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Elison Correia added 19 points, and Antonio Delgado contributed 12, but their efforts were not enough to trouble a Nigerian side firing on all cylinders.
The comfortable win offers D’Tigers a measure of consolation after a bruising start to this phase, having lost 78-62 to Cameroon and then fallen 82-79 to South Sudan before turning things around against Cape Verde. Those two defeats had piled pressure on Nigeria heading into the final fixture of the window, making Saturday’s response an important show of character.
With the first phase of the second round now complete, attention turns to how the standings currently sit in Group E ahead of the second phase, which will be played next year and will determine which teams secure automatic qualification for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Qatar, along with the continent’s best third-placed side. D’Tigers will look to carry the momentum of Saturday’s win into that phase as they continue their pursuit of a place at the global showpiece in Qatar.
