FIBA Zone 3 Afrocan Qualifier: D’Tigers Bounces Back With Big Win Over Benin Republic

The Nigerian men never looked back from then, winning the third and fourth quarters 19-11 and 17-13, respectively.

Nigeria’s home-based national men’s basketball team on Saturday roared to an impressive 78-51 victory over Benin Republic at the ongoing FIBA Zone 3 AfroCan qualifier.

Coming off a narrow loss against Guinea the previous day, Nigeria entered the game played at the Palais de Sports in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire, determined to bounce back and secure a crucial win.

Though the home-based D’Tigers started slowly losing the first quarter 15-10, they came out smoking in the second quarter and emphatically won 32-12.

The Nigerian men never looked back from then, winning the third and fourth quarters 19-11 and 17-13, respectively.

The team showcased great skill, teamwork, and unwavering determination, leaving no room for doubt about their dominance on the court.

Top performers

Leading the way for Nigeria was Victor Eze, who displayed an exceptional performance, amassing an impressive 21 points.

Eze’s scoring prowess proved crucial in Nigeria’s triumph, as he consistently found ways to penetrate Benin’s defence and convert opportunities into points.

The team captain, Ibeabuchi Agu, also made a significant impact, contributing 13 points to the scoreboard and providing crucial leadership throughout the match.

Victor Anthony Koko stood out with his impressive shot drops for Nigeria, displaying excellent accuracy and precision. Koko’s ability to find his range and convert opportunities added an extra dimension to Nigeria’s offensive firepower.

Next stop

With this victory, Nigeria has set its sights on the next challenge—a decisive matchup against the host country, Cote D’Ivoire.

The outcome of this crucial game will determine which team represents FIBA Africa Zone 3 at the upcoming FIBA AfroCan finals in Angola, scheduled to take place from 8 to 16, July 2023.

Head coach of Nigeria, Ogo Odaudu, said after the game he was happy with Saturday’s win and equally positive about a good outcome on Sunday

He said: “It was good for us today. We played a lot better than we did yesterday (Friday). Yesterday’s loss was painful. It’s a game we should have won.

“The players are getting better by the day. You can see that we played better than yesterday.

“We will work on the team to win the game against Cote D’Ivoire.”