Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, rallied from behind to edge previously unbeaten Guinea 80-79 in a thrilling 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifier in Luanda, Angola, sealing qualification for the second round.
The dramatic victory marked Nigeria’s second consecutive win in the qualifying window following Thursday’s 84-81 triumph over Tunisia, completing a perfect run under new head coach David Fizdale and significantly reviving the country’s hopes of qualifying for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Qatar.
Facing a Guinea side that arrived unbeaten in the qualifiers and sitting atop Group C, D’Tigers displayed tremendous character to overturn a late deficit and hand the Guineans their first defeat of the campaign.
Nigeria made an impressive start, taking the opening quarter 22-17 before both teams shared the second period 23-23 to give D’Tigers a five-point advantage at halftime. Guinea responded strongly after the break, dominating the third quarter 28-16 to seize control of the contest. However, the Nigerians refused to surrender, delivering a spirited 18-11 fourth-quarter performance to snatch a dramatic one-point victory in the closing moments.
The final buzzer confirmed an unforgettable 80-79 triumph for Nigeria, one that underlined the team’s resilience, determination and growing confidence under Fizdale’s leadership.
Caleb Agada led the scoring for D’Tigers with 22 points, while Uche Iroegbu contributed 14 points. Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu added 10 points in another outstanding team display.
Once again, Chimezie Metu proved why he remains one of Nigeria’s most influential players, delivering the decisive basket that sealed victory for D’Tigers. Throughout the qualifying window, Metu demonstrated his immense value on both ends of the floor with his scoring ability, defensive presence and leadership.
The back-to-back victories over Tunisia and Guinea have propelled Nigeria into the second round of the African qualifiers while restoring belief that D’Tigers can once again compete among the continent’s elite on the road to the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Attention now turns to Nigeria’s final game of the qualifying window against Rwanda, where D’Tigers will be aiming to maintain their winning momentum and strengthen their position heading into the next phase of the qualification campaign.