FIBAWCQ: D’Tigers’ nine-game unbeaten run ended by Côte d’Ivoire

Nigeria men’s basketball team, D’Tigers were defeated by their Ivorian counterparts in a FIBA World Cup qualifier on Friday night.

The defeat, which came in the first match of the final round of the qualifying series being staged in Abidjan, ended Nigeria’s unbeaten run.

D’Tigers have been impressive in the campaign, having gone nine consecutive games without defeat to become the first team in the world to qualify for the World Cup in China.

But the ‘Les Elephants’ of Cote d’Ivoire were outstanding all through the encounter on Friday as they won all four quarters to keep alive their hope of qualifying.

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Encouraged by their vocieferous home fans, Côte d’Ivoire won 14-10 in the first quarter, 14-9 in the second, 27-12 in the third and 17-15 in the fourth quarter.

Cote d’Ivoire are now two wins away from qualifying for 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in China. They face Rwanda on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Senegal have joined Nigeria, Tunisia and Angola as African nations already qualified for the 2019 FIBA World Cup after they crushing Rwanda 81-41 in Abidjan.

D’Tigers will face Central Africa Republic on Saturday.

 

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