Afrobasket: D’Tigers lose to Cote d’Ivoire as search for quarterfinal ticket continues

The D’Tigers will be heading for the drawing board after losing 68-77pts to Côte d’Ivoire in their last group C game and failing to pick an automatic FIBA Afrobasket quarter final ticket.

The game which was the group’s decider saw Nigeria struggling for the better part of the game. They struggled with their shooting averaging 41.8% field goal conversion with 29.6% shooting accuracy from the three point line.

The game watched by the Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness, Aminu Ado Bayero alongside members of the royal house, Bayero Isa Sanusi and Bayero Ujudud Sanusi alongside the Nigeria Basketball Federation, Engr Musa Kida lived up to expectations.

A very physical Ivorian team also dominated defensively as they out rebounded D’Tigers 44-30.

Read Also: D’Tigers beat Kenya to secure second Afrobasket win, to face Cote d’Ivoire Sunday

Benjamin Emelogu led the team in scoring with 13pts, 2stls and 5 rebounds.

Uzodinma Utomi had 12pts, TK Edogi recorded 10pts while Gombe Bull’s Ibe Abuchi Agu was solid defensively, helping with 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 5pts.

Nigeria will play the third placed team in group D in their quest to secure a quarter final ticket.

All hope is not lost for a medal finish and Coach Mike Brown is eager to see how the team bounces back from this minor setback.

“It will be interesting to see how our guys respond after the loss. We still have an opportunity to go again and we will see how that turns out in the next game,” said coach Brown.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now