Nigeria recorded contrasting outcomes on the opening day of the FIBA U18 African Basketball Championships in Côte d’Ivoire, with the women’s team securing a victory while the men’s side suffered a heavy defeat.
In the women’s competition, Junior D’Tigress began their campaign on a winning note, edging out Tunisia 54–50 in a tightly contested fixture. Favour Joy Anari delivered a stellar performance, posting 14 points and nine rebounds to steer her side to victory. The Nigerians will turn their focus to their next group fixture against Cameroon tomorrow.
In the men’s event, Junior D’Tigers endured a difficult start, falling 95–68 to a dominant Egyptian side. The North Africans controlled all four quarters, relying on a balanced offensive display that saw six players reach double figures, led by Rami Magdy’s 17 points.
Nigeria, severely constrained by fielding a short-handed squad of only seven players, committed 17 turnovers during the match. Victor Nwafor was the top performer for the Junior D’Tigers, scoring 16 points. The team will seek immediate redemption when they face Chad tomorrow.
Both the men’s and women’s tournaments serve as official African qualifying events for the 2027 FIBA U19 World Cups set to take place in China and the Czech Republic.
–ChannelAfrica–
