Nigeria’s D’Tigers have booked their place in the quarterfinals of the ongoing FIBA Men’s AfroBasket after defeating Cameroon 99-90 in their final Group D clash at the Pavilhão Multiusos de Kilamba, Luanda, Angola.
The victory secured Nigeria’s top spot in the group with an unbeaten 3-0 record, having earlier dispatched Madagascar and defending champions Tunisia.
Both sides entered the contest knowing that a win guaranteed direct passage to the last eight, while the loser faced a tougher qualification route.
The opening quarter was tightly contested, with Nigeria edging it 28-25. The D’Tigers then turned on the style in the second period, powering to a 30-16 run that gave them a commanding halftime lead.
Six Nigerian players hit double figures in a balanced team display. Josh Okogie led the scoring with 16 points, while Caleb Agada added 15. Stan Okoye chipped in 14, Christian Mekowulu and Ike Nwamu contributed 12 apiece, and Martins Igbanu finished with 10.
Okogie and Okoye were the standout performers, combining for 30 points. Okoye, in particular, impressed off the bench, going a perfect 4-for-4 from beyond the arc while also pulling down seven rebounds.
Cameroon struggled to cope with Nigeria’s long-range shooting and paid the price, falling short by nine points as the D’Tigers sealed a deserved quarterfinal spot.
