- D’Tigers knocked out of Afrobasket after 91-75 loss to Senegal.
- Josh Okogie held to just four points after earlier group-stage heroics.
- Brancou Badio leads Senegal with 32 points in commanding performance.
Nigeria’s D’Tigers have crashed out of the ongoing Afrobasket Championship in Luanda, Angola, after suffering a 91-75 defeat to Senegal in the quarterfinals.
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Eko Hot Blog reports that the game started on a balanced note, with Senegal drawing first blood, but D’Tigers quickly responded. The first quarter ended with Nigeria narrowly ahead, 24-23.
However, the tide turned in the second quarter as the Senegalese stepped up the pressure and outscored Nigeria 30-18, heading into halftime with an 11-point lead (53-42).
Things got worse for D’Tigers in the third quarter, as Senegal extended their lead by another 10 points (23-13). Although Nigeria showed signs of a comeback in the final quarter, winning it 20-15, it was too little, too late.
Senegal’s Brancou Badio was the standout performer, finishing the game with 32 points and an efficiency rating of 29 percent. On the other hand, Nigeria’s top player, NBA guard Josh Okogie, was kept quiet throughout the game and managed just four points — a stark contrast to the 33 he dropped in the group stage.
Despite the loss, Nigeria still holds a narrow edge over Senegal in their head-to-head record, now standing at 5-4.
According to team officials, “We started well, but allowed the game to slip away in the second and third quarters. The boys fought hard in the end, but the damage was already done.”
