Basketball
Nigeria D’Tigers Unleash Fury, Crushes Tunisia In Afrobasket Showdown
Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, maintained their unbeaten start to the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket Championship in Angola with a commanding 87–66 victory over defending champions, Tunisia in their second group stage encounter.
The Nigerians came out firing from tip-off, producing a high-energy first quarter that left their North African opponents chasing shadows.
A flurry of fast breaks, accurate perimeter shooting, and tight defensive work saw D’Tigers take a 29–16 lead after 10 minutes of action.
In the second quarter, the boys in green and white continued to dictate the tempo, at one point opening up a 20-point gap. Tunisia responded with a brief scoring run towards the end of the half, but Nigeria still held a solid 48–33 advantage going into the break.
The star of the show at halftime was Josh Okogie, who had already dropped 19 points, displaying the poise and skill that have made him an NBA star.
The third quarter proved decisive as D’Tigers outscored Tunisia 20–14, widening the gap to 68–47. Okogie, in unstoppable form, dazzled with his guard and shooting skills, taking his tally to 27 points before the start of the final quarter.
Although the last quarter ended evenly at 19–19, Nigeria’s dominance in the earlier stages ensured there was no way back for Tunisia.
Okogie capped off his stellar performance with 33 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists, receiving loud acclaim from the fans in Luanda for his leadership and offensive masterclass.
This result marks back-to-back victories for D’Tigers, keeping them firmly in contention for the knockout stages and signaling their intent to challenge for the championship crown.
The team will now turn their focus to their next group game against Cameroon, where they will look to maintain their winning momentum on Sunday.
Basketball
Fresh Ideas, Science Needed to Revitalise Basketball —ABA
Cyril Ogar
President/Founder, Amateur Basketball Academies, ABA, Aliyu Lucky Abubakar has called for a scientific and pragmatic approach to rediscovering the game of basketball in the North East.
The former player of many teams in Nigeria stated this on Saturday during training of coaches in Yola, Adamawa State.
Aliyu said the training is aimed to arm Coaches so they can, in turn, reach the children, especially those that ABA may not. The Deputy Comptroller in Nigeria Customs Service decried non-challant attitudes of the stakeholders in the development of basketball in the North East.
” Basketball is fading in the North East, and we at ABA will not allow it to die.”
“Adamawa was once a force in the game of basketball but had fallen behind. Our plan is to discover talent through coaching training, nurture it, and carry it from state level to the national team, and eventually, the global stage.” The basketball administrator said.
In his keynote message to the participants, which centered on the theme, “HOPE,” Harnessing opportunity, Organising for excellence, Promoting players’ development, and Empowering the next generation, Aliyu said, is far more than a drill instructors.
” Every child you see on a basketball court has a dream, and it is our job as a coach to spot it early and give it somewhere to go.” He concluded.
In his lecture titled, ” Who is a Coach”, Emmanuel Odah, the head Coach, FCT Basketball and former National Juniors team, described a coach as a committed, organised, affectionate, caring and humble.
” Commitment is consistency, and consistency is mother of progress; humility comes first because a coach who can not control himself can never control a game,” Odah insisted.
Other instructors at the training include ABA head of technical, Coach Adeka Daudu, as well as Coach Alexander Anyebe Ujoh, who spoke about the relationship between a coach and child in his care.
Coaches at the training commended ABA for its boldness to give hopes to basketball coaches all over the country. They promised that lessons learned would reshape and reset their mind on the job. They said the training will help them in understanding their role not only as an instructor but also grooming the children for a better future.
Among guests at the event include FCT Acting Director of Sports, Mr. Iyiola Ogundele and Bayelsa Veteran Basketball administrator, Coach Tony
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