The Nigeria’s D’Tigers began their campaign for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualification with a tough 88-78 overtime loss to Tunisia in a thrilling Group B qualifier on Thursday.
Hosted at the Salle Multidisciplinaire de Radès, the Nigerian team fought valiantly, matching the Tunisians basket for basket throughout regulation time. The contest was a nail-biter, with the score tied 73-73 at the end of the fourth quarter, extending the clash to an extra period.
However, the Tunisian side, propelled by the impressive performances of veterans Oussama Marnaoui and Omar Abada, proved stronger in the final minutes of overtime, pulling away to secure a significant home victory.
Nigeria started strong, leading 15-12 after the first quarter, but saw their advantage slip away by halftime, trailing 35-32. The second half was a back-and-forth battle, featuring multiple scoring runs from both teams before the dramatic finish.
Talib Zanna was the standout performer for D’Tigers, leading all scorers with a formidable 22 points. He was the only Nigerian player to break the 20-point barrier, with Morris Udeze being the only other to score in double figures, adding 10 points.
The loss is a challenging start for a D’Tigers team seeking redemption after missing the last World Cup in 2023, with their last appearance being in 2019.
The team has little time to dwell on the defeat, as they are scheduled to face Guinea in their second group game on Saturday, before wrapping up this window of the first round against Rwanda on November 30.
The qualification group will see the teams play a second round of matches, with the top three teams from the group advancing to the final qualifying round. Ultimately, the top five teams from Africa will earn a spot at the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar.