Nigeria’s national men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, commenced their pursuit of a spot at the 2027 FIBA Men’s World Cup with a narrow loss. They fell 88-78 to Tunisia on Thursday. The game went into overtime, where the hosts ultimately secured the win.

The D’Tigers faced a challenging journey to Monastir. They arrived just hours before their single training session. Despite this, Head Coach Mohammed Abdulrahman fielded a starting lineup. It featured Jordan Ogundiran, captain Ike Nwamu, Stan Okoye, Talib Zanna, and Chris Obekpa.

Game Recap: A Tense Battle

D’Tigers started with confidence, taking an early 5-0 lead. Zanna opened the scoring with a three-pointer. Nwamu then added two points. Tunisia quickly responded, edging ahead 8-5 within five minutes. However, Nigeria recovered, closing the first quarter with a 15-12 advantage.

Ogundiran extended Nigeria’s lead to 17-12 early in the second quarter. Tunisia then began to gain control. They tightened their defence and won the period 23-17. This gave them a 35-32 lead heading into halftime.

The third quarter was increasingly tense. Nigeria trailed for most of the period. Yet, they found their rhythm late on. They won the quarter 21-18, levelling the scores at 53-53 as they entered the final quarter.

In the fourth quarter, D’Tigers seemed close to victory. They held the lead for much of the final ten minutes. However, momentum shifted in the closing stages. Omar Abada and Oussama Marnaoui combined for Tunisia. Their efforts pushed Tunisia ahead 73-70. With just 15 seconds remaining, Okoye delivered a crucial finish. This levelled the score and forced the game into overtime.

Omar Abada proved decisive in the extra period. He recorded a game-high 29 points. His accuracy was pivotal, ensuring Tunisia’s late surge was unmatched by Nigeria. Talib Zanna led Nigeria’s scoring with 22 points and eight rebounds.

Upcoming Matches and Qualification Hopes

The D’Tigers’ focus now shifts to Saturday. They will face Guinea in a match crucial for their qualification hopes. Rwanda awaits them on Sunday. All four teams will then return for the second phase in July 2026.

The top three teams from each group will advance. This next stage will feature twelve teams. They will be split into two groups of six. Results from the first phase will carry over. Only the top two teams in each group will secure World Cup tickets. The strongest third-placed side will also qualify for the 2027 World Cup.

Nigeria currently ranks eighth in FIBA’s African power rankings. There is pressure on the team. They need to restore the national team’s once-prominent standing. Their last World Cup appearance was in 2019. They exited in the first round. The team did not qualify for the 2023 edition.