Izuchukwu Okosi
Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers returned to winning ways on Saturday evening after their opening losing game of the FIBA World Cup qualifying campaign in Africa.
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D’Tigers had on Thursday lost 79-71 to Cape Verde and were hard pressed to get the much needed victory in the continent’s qualification stage.
The Nigerians got exactly exactly what they needed as they pipped Mali 72-70.
D’Tigers claimed the first quarter 16-15 but Mali rallied back to win the second quarter 24-14 and go to the halftime break ahead at the Pavilhão Multiusos Acácias Rubras.
D’Tigers however ‘won’ the third quarter 23 – 16 and also the fourth quarter 19-15 to seal the win.
It was D’Tigers’ first victory of the qualification campaign with captain Ike Diogu who had 19 points and six rebounds playing some of his best basketball games.
D’Tigers will play their third game against Uganda on Sunday, in the qualification stages.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
