Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) President, Ahmadu Musa Kida, has called on D’Tigers to remain focused and humble as they prepare for their second Group B game against Tunisia at the ongoing FIBA Men’s AfroBasket Championship in Angola.
The appeal comes after Nigeria opened their campaign with a strong 77–59 win over Madagascar on Wednesday.
“As you prepare to face Tunisia on Friday, I urge you to remain focused, stay humble, and play with the same intensity and teamwork that brought us this first win,” Kida said.
D’Tigers started slowly against Madagascar, leading by just one point at halftime (38–37), but stepped up in the second half with tight defense and smooth passing. Caleb Agada scored 22 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and made 3 steals, while Stan Okoye and Ike Nwamu added 13 and 12 points respectively.
Tunisia, who beat Nigeria in the 2017 final, lost their opening game to Cameroon and will be eager to bounce back. However, Nigeria has won four of their six AfroBasket meetings, including a group-stage win in 2021.
Nigeria currently averages more points (77 to Tunisia’s 65), more rebounds (43 to 41), and a higher two-point shooting percentage (61.9% to 41.3%).
Friday’s match at the Pavilhao Multiusos de Luanda is key for both teams. The winner will likely top the group and qualify directly for the quarterfinals, while the loser may have to go through an extra qualification round.
