Nigeria’s D’Tigers breathed new life into their 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification campaign after defeating Cape Verde 100-84 in their final game of the fourth qualifying window in Tunisia.
The victory at the Salle Multidisciplinaire de Radès in Radès saw Nigeria stay in contention for one of Africa’s tickets to the tournament, which will be hosted by Qatar.
Caleb Agada led Nigeria’s impressive performance, producing 26 points from 9-of-12 shooting, including an outstanding 8-of-11 from three-point range.
Nigeria dominated from the start, opening the contest with a 9-0 run before ending the first quarter with a 23-9 advantage.
The D’Tigers continued to control proceedings in the second quarter and went into halftime with a 52-35 lead.
Their advantage increased to 76-54 by the end of the third quarter before Cape Verde reduced the deficit slightly in the final period.
Agada finished the contest with 26 points, four rebounds and six assists in just under 24 minutes.
The guard also produced at a crucial moment when Cape Verde attempted to mount a comeback.
He scored eight points, including two three-pointers and a two-point basket, between 3:44 and 1:38 remaining in the fourth quarter to effectively settle the contest.
Josh Okogie also made a significant contribution, narrowly missing out on a triple-double after recording 15 points, eight rebounds, 10 assists and four steals. He finished with an efficiency rating of 25 and a game-high +28 plus/minus.
Chimezie Metu was equally influential under the basket, grabbing 12 rebounds while adding six points, four assists and one steal.
The result was particularly important for Nigeria after they suffered defeats to Cameroon and South Sudan in their opening two games of the window.
The win keeps Nigeria’s qualification hopes alive ahead of the final window scheduled for February 2027.
At the end of the qualifying process, the top two teams from each group, along with the best third-placed team, will earn places at the World Cup.
Five African nations are expected to qualify for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Qatar.
