Nigeria opened their 2027 FIBA Men’s World Cup qualifying campaign with an 88–78 overtime defeat to Tunisia on Thursday in Radès, Tunisia.
The D’Tigers arrived in Tunisia under difficult circumstances, touching down only hours before their single training session. The group featured Jordan Ogundiran, captain Ike Nwamu, Stan Okoye, Talib Zanna, and Chris Obekpa.
Nigeria settled into the game quickly. Zanna’s early three-pointer and Nwamu’s drive helped the visitors build a five-point cushion.
Although Tunisia responded with an 8-point spell, the D’Tigers held firm to take a 15–12 lead after the opening quarter. Ogundiran pushed the margin to five again at the start of the second period, but Tunisia gradually wrestled control and closed the half ahead 35–32.
The third quarter swung back and forth as both teams battled for rhythm. Nigeria spent most of the frame chasing, yet produced a late surge to tie the game at 53–53 heading into the final quarter. Abdulrahman’s side looked poised to close out the win as they controlled the tempo for most of the last ten minutes. Still, lapses in the final seconds allowed Omar Abada and Oussama Marnaoui to flip the momentum. Stan Okoye’s late basket forced overtime.
Abada’s 29-point performance proved decisive for Tunisia. The hosts outscored Nigeria 15–5 in overtime, sealing a victory that left the D’Tigers frustrated after a competitive display.
Zanna finished as Nigeria’s leading scorer with 22 points and eight rebounds, while the team now shifts focus to Saturday’s fixture against Guinea. Nigeria will then face Rwanda on Sunday before the qualifiers resume with the second phase in July 2026.
Only the top three teams from each first-round group advance. The D’Tigers sit eighth in FIBA Africa’s current rankings and have not reached the World Cup since 2019.
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