Sports

D’Tigers suffer another defeat,fall 96-87 to Spain

Published

8 years ago

August 12, 2016

Nigeria senior male basketball team, D’Tigers continued their dismal performance at the ongoing Olympics on Friday after they suffered their third defeat in the competition by losing 96-87 to fellow strugglers Spain.

Spain dodged a bullet fired by Nigeria on Thursday night and won 96-87 to boost their chances of a top-four finish and a place in the Quarter-Finals.

Silver-medalists at the last two Olympics, Spain jumped out to an early 16-point lead in the bizarre setting of an empty Carioca Arena 1 as Federal Police and the Brazilian Army carried out a controlled explosion following the discovery of a backpack that had been left near a trash can in a bathroom.

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The Spaniards appeared to be cruising but then Nigeria had a huge turnaround and, thanks in large part to Chamberlain Oguchi’s three-point shooting, the D’Tigers took the lead by a point late in the last minute of the third quarter.

Spain hurt themselves when Pau Gasol argued with a referee about a foul and drew a technical. That put Nigeria into the bonus and Ekene Ibekwe sank two free-throws before Josh Akognon made the technical free-throw.

Spain took the lead at the start of the fourth quarter and held on for the victory.’iger

Oguchi was on the losing side but he performed in heroic fashion with a blistering display from long range. As a team, Nigeria were 13-of-35 from three-point range and Oguchi, the AfroBasket 2015 MVP, drilled 7-of-12 as part of a game-high 24 points.

Spain got 21 out of their 26 free-throw line while Nigeria managed to score 16 out of the 21 chances.

The D’Tigers have taken a step in their development as a very competitive side in international basketball and they still have a chance of a top-four finish, although they will have to beat Brazil and a very impressive Croatia.

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