Nigeria’s D’Tigers finished the third window of the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers in style on Sunday, smashing Rwanda 106-62 in Luanda. The win completed a flawless 3-0 run for Nigeria, following earlier victories over Tunisia and Guinea. It was a dominant statement that has put D’Tigers right back in the mix for the next round of qualifying.
From the jump, David Fizdale’s team set the tone. They took the first quarter 25-14 and stretched the lead to 49-29 by halftime. There was no let-up after the break either. Nigeria poured in 31 points in the third to make it 80-44, then closed things out 26-18 in the fourth to finish with a massive 44-point margin.
Caleb Agada ran the show at point guard with 17 points and 7 assists. Charles Mekowulu was a force inside with 13 points and 8 rebounds, and veteran Stan Okoye added 13 points and 4 rebounds from the wing. The scoring was well spread and Nigeria looked in control on both ends.
The bench made a big impact too. Uchenna Iroegbu led everyone with a game-high 17 points and 7 assists. Ike Iroegbu chipped in 10 points and 5 assists, while Chimezie Metu added 10 points and 6 rebounds. With that kind of depth, D’Tigers never took their foot off the gas.
Rwanda had a tough night against Nigeria’s pace and pressure. Patrick Twa top-scored for them with 16 points, and Prince Bizimana and Steve Mwesigwa added 11 and 10 respectively. But they couldn’t match Nigeria’s shooting or ball movement. The 106 points were also D’Tigers’ highest total of the qualifiers so far.
The result means Nigeria go 3-for-3 in this window and sends a clear message to Group C. After grinding out wins against Tunisia and Guinea, they saved their most complete performance for last against Rwanda. With rhythm and confidence back, D’Tigers head into the next phase of qualifying believing they can book a spot at the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup.