Nigeria’s Junior D’Tigers will take on Angola on Saturday in their second game of the 2024 FIBA U-18 AfroBasket tournament in Pretoria, South Africa. The team is looking to bounce back after a 70-57 loss to defending champions Egypt in their Group B opener on Thursday.
The Nigerian team faced significant challenges ahead of their first game, including visa issues caused by the South African Consulate in Abuja, which delayed their arrival and contributed to fatigue and jetlag. Despite this, they put up a strong fight against Egypt, finishing the first quarter with a 17-14 lead, with standout dunks from Favour Ibe and David Ike. Nigeria also outpaced Egypt in fast breaks, scoring seven points to Egypt’s zero in the opening quarter.
Egypt managed to pull ahead in the final quarter, securing a 70-57 win at the University of Pretoria’s Rembrandt Hall. Mohammed Hussin led Egypt with 21 points, while Omar Mowafak added 15. Nigeria’s top scorer was Azeez Sulaimon, who contributed 14 points to the team’s effort.
The game remained competitive throughout, with Nigeria briefly regaining the lead at 38-37 in the third quarter after a 6-0 run. However, a series of three-pointers from Hussin and strong defense allowed Egypt to regain control. Late in the fourth quarter, Egypt sealed their victory with a fast-break dunk from Omar Aly, extending their lead to 10 points.
Despite the loss, Nigeria remains optimistic as they prepare to face Angola. The two teams have a competitive history, with Nigeria holding a 2-1 lead in head-to-head matchups. The most recent encounters were at the 2008 edition of the AfroBasket, where Angola won 71-65 in the semifinals, while Nigeria triumphed 51-44 in the preliminary round. Nigeria also defeated Angola 64-48 at the 2006 edition.
With their past success against Angola, the Junior D’Tigers are considered favorites going into Saturday’s matchup as they seek their first win of the tournament.
