₦airaland Forum

🗞️ 𝙋𝙍𝙀𝙎𝙎 𝙍𝙀𝙇𝙀𝘼𝙎𝙀

The National Sports Commission on behalf of FGN, congratulates our men’s basketball team, D’Tigers on their commanding 77–59 win over Madagascar in their opening game at AfroBasket 2025.

NSC Chairman @ShehuDikko : “With the dedication and zeal you displayed in this game, it is evident that you are truly committed to have a fantastic tournament to the glory of Nigeria 🇳🇬 “
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#NSC #DTigers #AfroBasket2025 #TeamNigeria

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnGDnee34ZY?si=5aMPFffHe4LOsiPz

Nigeria’s men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, began their quest for a second continental crown with a convincing 77–59 victory over Madagascar in their opening Group B game of the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket on Wednesday afternoon, 13th of August in Angola.

A decade after clinching their maiden AfroBasket title, Nigeria made a winning start to their latest campaign, shaking off early jitters to dominate in the second half.

Slow Start, Strong Finish from D’Tigers
Nigeria named Caleb Agada, Ike Nwamu, Josh Okogie, Talib Zanna and Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu in their starting lineup, but the first quarter was a cagey affair.

D’Tigers edged ahead 18–14 after the opening 10 minutes but failed to fully impose themselves, going into halftime with a slender 38–37 advantage.

Agada led the scoring at the break with 13 points, keeping Nigeria’s nose in front against a determined Madagascar side.

D’Tigers Third-quarter surge
The game turned in the third quarter as D’Tigers found their rhythm, outshooting Madagascar 14–8 in the period’s early stages.

Agada stayed hot, pushing his tally to 15 points, while Nigeria’s defense tightened.

A personal foul by Devine Eke briefly gave Madagascar hope, with Kiady Razanamahenina draining three free throws to cut the deficit, however, Nigeria responded swiftly, restoring a seven-point cushion before closing the quarter 55–46 ahead.

Team Leaders step up

With the job still to be finished, Nigeria’s experienced core took control in the final frame. Agada capped his standout performance with a game-high 22 points, while Stan Okoye (13 points) and Ike Nwamu (12 points) provided crucial scoring bursts.

The D’Tigers closed out the contest with authority, winning the last quarter 22–13 to seal an 18-point victory. The result leaves Nigeria 1–0 in Group B, where they will also face Tunisia next and Cameroon later in their last group fixture.