D’TIGERS’ WORLD CUP BID TAKES ANOTHER HIT AFTER SOUTH SUDAN DEFEAT

Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, suffered another setback in their quest to qualify for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup after losing 82-79 to South Sudan on Friday in Tunisia.

The defeat was Nigeria’s second consecutive loss in the second round of the African qualifiers, leaving the team under significant pressure ahead of its final game in the current window.

The match was played at the Salle Multidisciplinaire de Radès in Radès, where South Sudan made a strong start and established an early advantage over the Nigerian side.

D’Tigers initially struggled to contain the Bright Stars, who produced a late 9-0 run in the opening quarter to turn a 15-14 deficit into a 25-15 lead. South Sudan eventually finished the first quarter with a commanding 30-19 advantage.

Nigeria gradually recovered in the second quarter and began to reduce the deficit as the game progressed.

Caleb Agada played an important role in the comeback, leading a 7-0 Nigerian run that helped D’Tigers turn a 43-41 deficit into a 48-43 lead with 9:08 remaining in the third quarter.

However, South Sudan quickly responded and regained control of the contest, setting up a tense final period.

Nigeria continued to fight until the closing stages, with Josh Okogie tying the game at 70-70 with a three-pointer with just over seven minutes remaining.

South Sudan immediately responded through Wenyen Gabriel, whose hook shot restored the Bright Stars’ advantage only 21 seconds later.

The Bright Stars managed the closing minutes better and held on to secure a narrow three-point victory over Nigeria.

Marial Shayok was South Sudan’s leading scorer with 19 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals, while Nuni Omot added 13 points.

Carlik Jones also produced an all-round performance, contributing 11 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds as South Sudan maintained its composure during the crucial stages.

For Nigeria, Okogie led the scoring with 14 points, while also recording eight rebounds and two assists.

The defeat follows D’Tigers’ 78-62 loss to Cameroon two days earlier, meaning Nigeria has now suffered back-to-back defeats at the start of the second round.

The Cameroon defeat was particularly damaging, with Yves Missi scoring 24 points and grabbing nine rebounds to lead the Central African side to victory.

With two defeats already recorded, D’Tigers now face a difficult task in their attempt to remain in contention for a place at the 2027 World Cup in Qatar.

Nigeria’s next match against Cape Verde on Sunday has consequently become crucial, with the team needing a strong response to revive its qualification hopes.

The players and coaching staff will now have to quickly regroup and address the weaknesses exposed in their opening two games if they are to keep their World Cup campaign alive.