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D’Tigers Defeat Tunisia To Extend AfroBasket Winning Run.
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Josh Okogie scored 33 points to inspire Nigeria’s dominance.
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Nigeria faces Cameroon next in a decisive Group B clash.
Nigeria’s men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, secured a convincing 87-66 victory over defending champions Tunisia on Friday to extend their unbeaten run at the 2025 FIBA Men’s AfroBasket Championship in Angola.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the win at the Pavilhao Multiusos de Luanda was D’Tigers’ second straight triumph in Group B, coming after their 77-59 opening-day win against Madagascar. The result also cemented their place as group leaders.
NBA star Josh Okogie, who plays for the Houston Rockets, delivered a stellar performance, scoring 33 points — the highest individual tally of the game. His brilliance ignited a 10-0 opening run that gave Nigeria early momentum.
By the close of the first quarter, D’Tigers were firmly in control with a 29-16 lead, stretching it to 48-33 at halftime. Tunisia, who had earlier suffered an 86-65 defeat to Cameroon, tried to stage a comeback but struggled against Nigeria’s relentless pace and defensive pressure.
The Nigerians extended their dominance to 68-47 by the third quarter and maintained the gap until the final whistle, securing a 21-point win. Tunisia, missing key veterans Makram Romdhane and Radhouane Slimane, were unable to withstand Nigeria’s firepower despite the efforts of Jawhar Jawadi.
The victory keeps alive Nigeria’s ambition of winning a second AfroBasket title, ten years after their maiden triumph in 2015. Interestingly, Tunisia’s last AfroBasket defeat before this year also came against Nigeria in that 2015 edition.
D’Tigers will face Cameroon in their final Group B clash on Sunday. The encounter is expected to decide the group winner, as both sides remain unbeaten.
