LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, suffered their second consecutive defeat in the ongoing FIBA Basketball World Cup Africa qualifiers, despite a standout performance from forward Chimezie Metu.
The Galatasaray star led Nigeria with 17 points and four rebounds, showing determination and leadership in a tightly contested game against South Sudan that ended 82-79.
Metu’s offensive spark kept Nigeria competitive throughout the encounter.
After trailing 30-19 at the end of the first quarter, D’Tigers rallied to take a 46-43 lead at halftime.
Metu’s scoring runs were crucial in turning the tide, but South Sudan responded strongly in the third quarter, edging ahead 64-61.
The final period was a battle down to the wire, yet Nigeria fell short by three points.
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Caleb Agada added a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Josh Okogie, returning to the squad, contributed 14 baskets and eight rebounds.
Despite these efforts, Nigeria’s shooting inconsistencies and late-game execution proved costly, leaving them unable to close out the contest.
The defeat comes on the back of a 78-62 loss to Cameroon in their opening game, putting D’Tigers under immense pressure in their qualification campaign.
With back-to-back losses, Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the 2027 FIBA World Cup now hang in the balance.
Attention now turns to their final fixture of the window against Cape Verde on Sunday, August 30.
A win is essential to revive their qualification chances, while another defeat could effectively seal their fate.
Metu and his teammates have to win on Sunday in order to give Nigeria a shot at qualification.
