Nigeria’ s men basketball national team D’ Tigers were dethroned as African Champions on Saturday , after a 77 - 65 defeat to co - hosts Tunisia in the final of the 2017 Afrobasket Championship .

D’ Tigers reached the final after defeating co - hosts and fierce rivals Senegal 76 - 71 in an explosive semi-final match on Friday to set up a clash with the Tunisians , who sent Morocco packing 60 - 52 in the other semi - final tie .
It was sweet revenge for the Tunisians , who were beaten 70 - 59 by D ’Tigers in the semi- finals of the 2015 AfroBasket in Tunis .

Alex Nwora ’ s side managed to win the first quarter of the game before surrendering to the superior firepower of the North Africans in the next two quarters and earning a draw in the final phase of the game .

D’ Tigers , who were trying to become the first team to successfully defend the title since Angola won it in 2007 and 2009 , started on a bright note , cruising past the hosts 14 – 8 in the first quarter but that was as far as it got , as they lost the second 17 - 10 .

Backed by a vociferous home crowd at the packed Salle Omnisport de Rades , Radès, on the outskirts of Tunis , Tunisia used clutch three- point shooting to keep Nigeria at bay in the second half . And the tactics paid off, as they won the third quarter 27 - 16 .

But D’ Tigers managed a last roar to defend their title in the final phase of the game , but it was too little too late as the fourth quarter ended 25 – 25 to earn the hosts a 77 - 65 win and a second African title.

Ike Diogu led with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Ziyed Chennoufi led Tunisia with 19 points .

captain Diogu was named the tournament’ s Most Valuable Player . Diogu , alongside teammate Ikenna Iroegbu , Tunisia duo Mohamed Hadidane and Mourad El Mabrouk, as well as Senegal’ s Gorgui Dieng were named in the tournament’ s All - Star team .

The hardworking Diogu was the highest scorer at the championship averaging 22 . 4 points per game in his five appearances in Rades .
Iroegbu had the highest number of assists per game (5 . 6 ), while Tunisian Makram Ben Romdhane had the best rebounds per game ( 10 . 6 ) at the tournament.

Only Ike Diogu made D’ Tigers squad from the 2015 cup - winning squad with the likes of key players Chamberlain Oguchi , Seni Lawal , Aminu brothers Al -Farouq and Alade missing out . Tunisia also played the tournament without Salah Mejri, a 7 - foot- 2 centre for the Dallas Mavericks . Mejri , who is recovering from a knee injury , was the MVP of Tunisia ’ s title run in the 2011 AfroBasket .

Nigeria beat Ivory Coast 78 - 77 in their first Group A match , beat Mali 90 - 67 but lost 83 - 77 to DR Congo in their final group game . They defeated Cameroon 106 - 91 in the quarter - final on Thursday before Friday’ s win over Senegal.

http://punchng.com/tunisia-dethrone-dtigers-in-afrobasket-final/

NwaAmaikpe:



This is good news.

mumu, dem don release you abi.

well-done to our boys, you did us proud despite all the obstacles and rancour in the NBBF. we hope for a decent outing at the world cup