Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, wrapped up their Group D campaign at the 2025 FIBA Men’s AfroBasket Championship in Angola with a 99-90 victory over Cameroon on Sunday at the Pavilhão Multiusos de Kilamba.
The result gave Nigeria a perfect 3-0 record and, crucially, a direct ticket to the quarter-finals.
Josh Okogie led the way with 16 points, while Caleb Agada (15), Stan Okoye (14), Christian Mekowulu and Ike Nwamu (12 each), and Martins Igbannu (10) also hit double figures in an all-around team performance.
Cameroon’s Fabien Ateba scored a game-high 19 points, supported by Yves Missi (18) and Jeremiah Hill (16) before he exited with a knee injury.
The game started at a frenetic pace, with Nigeria edging the first quarter 28-25. A dominant second quarter followed, as Agada poured in 10 points and Mekowulu impressed from deep, helping D’Tigers outscore Cameroon 30-16 to build a commanding lead.
Nigeria’s three-point shooting proved decisive; they sank 15 triples, the most by any team in the tournament so far. Okoye’s perfect 4-for-4 shooting from beyond the arc, along with his seven rebounds, made a telling impact off the bench.
Though Cameroon staged a late rally in the fourth quarter after trailing by as many as 34 points, Nigeria’s defensive resilience saw them through to a deserved nine-point win.
The victory extends Nigeria’s dominance over Cameroon at AfroBasket, having also eliminated the Indomitable Lions in the 2017 quarterfinals.
Reflecting on the game, Okoye said, “We were a little flat at the end and need to do better with our defence and turnovers. But it felt great to knock down shots and secure this win.”
With their group campaign complete, D’Tigers now turn their focus to the knockout stages as they chase a fourth AfroBasket title.
