D’Tigers Secure Narrow Win Over Guinea
Nigeria’s D’Tigers edged out Guinea 80‑79 in a tense Group C encounter in Luanda on Friday, booking their place in the second round of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers. The one‑point victory halted Guinea’s unbeaten streak in the group and allowed both teams to advance to the next phase.
The triumph followed a hard‑fought 84‑81 win against Tunisia on Thursday. Facing a resilient Guinea side that had built a six‑point lead by the end of the third quarter, Nigeria dug deep, tightened its defence and seized crucial opportunities in the final period.
In the closing seconds, the D’Tigers completed a remarkable comeback, snatching the 80‑79 win to maintain their perfect record in Luanda. The result leaves Nigeria well positioned ahead of their final Group C fixture versus Rwanda on Sunday, July 5, which will decide the group standings before the qualifiers move to the second round.
Twelve teams from the first round will progress to the second round, where they will be split into two groups of six. Each group will contain the qualifiers from the four opening groups, with points earned so far carried forward. The race for the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar will then intensify, as only the top two teams in each second‑round group earn automatic qualification, while the best third‑placed team across the two groups also secures a berth.
With the quarter‑final clash against Rwanda looming, the D’Tigers aim to finish the group stage on a high note and carry momentum into the next stage of the campaign.
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