25th August 2025
By Peter Omopo
Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, are expected back in the country today (Monday) after competing at the 31st edition of the FIBA AfroBasket tournament in Angola.
The team, coached by Mohammed Abdulrahman, exited the tournament at the quarter-final stage following a 91–75 defeat to continental rivals Senegal last Wednesday. Despite the early elimination, the squad remained in Angola until Monday because their return tickets had been booked for that date.
According to reports, several senior players had appealed to the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) to reschedule their travel, but the request was declined. Some players, including Houston Rockets guard Josh Okogie, opted to personally purchase their own tickets in order to return to their respective bases earlier.
Before their exit, D’Tigers put up an impressive group-stage performance, topping Group B with victories over Madagascar, three-time champions Tunisia, and Cameroon. Standout players included Caleb Agada, Josh Okogie, Stan Okoye, and Ike Nwamu, who delivered strong performances throughout the tournament.
Hosts Angola went on to clinch their first AfroBasket title in 12 years.
With their AfroBasket campaign over, D’Tigers will now shift focus to the FIBA Men’s World Cup Qualifying Series beginning in November, as they aim to book a spot at the 2027 edition in Qatar. Nigeria last featured at the World Cup in 2019 in China under coach Alex Nwora, having missed the 2023 edition.
