Nigeria’s hopes of reclaiming the AfroBasket crown came to an abrupt end on Wednesday as D’Tigers fell 91–75 to Senegal in their quarterfinal showdown at the Pavilhão Multiusos de Luanda, Angola.
The highly anticipated clash between two of Africa’s basketball giants produced intense drama, but it was the Lions who displayed greater composure and efficiency to secure a place in the semifinals.
Coming into the game, confidence was high in the Nigerian camp following an impressive group stage run where D’Tigers topped Group B after defeating Madagascar, Tunisia, and Cameroon.
Memories of their last meeting with Senegal in the 2015 AfroBasket semifinal, which Nigeria won 88–79 in overtime en route to their historic first title, also fueled belief.
Adding to the rivalry was the recent success of Nigeria’s women’s team, D’Tigress, who beat Senegal a few weeks ago on their way to an unprecedented fifth consecutive AfroBasket Women’s title.
But this time, the Lions struck back in ruthless fashion.
Though Senegal lost the first quarter by a single point (23-24), they seized control afterwards.
The Lions outscored Nigeria 30–18 in the second quarter and 23–13 in the third.
By the time D’Tigers attempted a late rally in the final quarter, Senegal’s lead was already unassailable.
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The Lions combined excellent ball movement with sharp perimeter shooting to dismantle Nigeria’s defensive schemes, leaving D’Tigers constantly chasing the game.
Senegal’s Brancou Badio was the standout performer, pouring in 32 points while Jean Jacques Boissy added 23 in a dominant offensive display.
Nigeria’s Ike Nwamu led his side with 15 points, but D’Tigers struggled collectively, shooting just 36 percent from the field compared to Senegal’s efficient 49 percent.
Poor rebounding and turnovers also proved costly, with Senegal winning the battle on the boards and capitalizing on Nigeria’s errors to build momentum.
The defeat is particularly painful for veteran Stan Okoye, the only remaining member of the 2015 title-winning squad, whose experience was expected to inspire the younger players.
For Senegal, the victory keeps alive their bid for a sixth AfroBasket title and their first since 1997.