On Friday, July 14, 2023, the senior men’s national team of Nigeria, also known as the D’Tigers, lost to their Kenyan opponents with a score of 61-759.
The AfroCan, a men’s basketball continental competition in Africa open to all players who play for basketball clubs headquartered on the continent, served as a platform for emerging players to stand out in front of their contemporaries.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo defeated D’Tigers in a quarterfinal AFROCAN match.
The Nigerians were forced to compete in a five to eight classification game against their Kenyan opponents as a result.
Kenya won the opening period 20-13 at the Pavilhao Multiusos de Luanda to take a seven-point advantage.
D’Tigers made a comeback in the second quarter, winning 18-13 and cutting the score to two points at the half.
Kenya and D’Tigers were knotted going into the last minutes of the third quarter, which D’Tigers won 13-11.
Kenya was able to hold on and win by two points with a 17-15 score in the final frame.
For Head Coach Ogoh Odaudu, the AFROCAN is a significant step before the forthcoming FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament.
The Group Phase is set for Lagos, Nigeria, as the Nigerians are set to play in front of their home fans for the first time in a while.
The D’Tigers are in group A and will face Mali, Uganda, and Senegal and hope to qualify for the 2024 Olympics after missing out on a spot at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
