Nigeria’s D’Tigers have kept their hopes of returning to the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup alive after responding to a difficult qualifying window with a commanding 100-84 victory over Cape Verde in Radès, Tunisia.
The victory was exactly the response Nigeria needed after consecutive defeats to Cameroon and South Sudan had put their qualification campaign under pressure.
D’Tigers entered the final game of the window knowing that another setback could seriously damage their chances of reaching the World Cup in Qatar. Instead, Nigeria produced its most convincing performance of the window, leading from start to finish and moving its overall qualifying record to 5-4 with three games still to play.
The team came out aggressively against Cape Verde, racing to a 23-9 lead in the opening quarter before extending the advantage to 52-35 at halftime.
Although Cape Verde fought back in the second half, D’Tigers maintained control and eventually secured the 16-point victory.
The performance was led by Caleb Agada, who produced a sensational shooting display, scoring 26 points while converting eight of his 11 attempts from three-point range. He also added six assists as Nigeria finally found the offensive rhythm that had eluded the team in its first two games.
Josh Okogie also delivered an all-round performance, finishing with 15 points, eight rebounds, 10 assists and four steals.
Chimezie Metu contributed 12 rebounds, while Ike Nwamu added 14 points and Efe Abogidi finished with 11 as Nigeria produced a collective response to the disappointment of the opening games.
For D’Tigers head coach David Fizdale, the victory was crucial because it ensured Nigeria remained in contention heading into the final stage of the qualifying campaign.
“We needed that win to stay in the fight and give ourselves a chance,” Fizdale said.
The coach had urged his players to secure a fifth victory in the second round, believing that reaching that mark would keep Nigeria within striking distance of qualification.
The players delivered.
The result means Nigeria will enter the decisive final qualifying window with its World Cup ambitions still intact. FIBA’s latest team information lists D’Tigers at 5-4 in Group E, with three games remaining.
For the team, however, the victory is more than simply another win on the qualification table.
It represents a response to adversity.
Nigeria had opened the window with a 78-62 defeat to Cameroon before suffering another setback against South Sudan. The latter was a particularly frustrating result after D’Tigers had battled back and taken a 46-43 halftime lead before eventually falling 82-79.
Rather than allow those results to define the window, Nigeria regrouped against Cape Verde.
That response is what the team will now hope to carry into the final phase of the campaign.
Okogie, who was part of Nigeria’s last World Cup team in 2019, acknowledged that a 1-2 record for the window was not the outcome D’Tigers wanted, but insisted that the team had not given up on its objective.
“Obviously, 1-2 is not the result we wanted but at the end of the day we are not completely out of this; we are within striking distance,” Okogie said.
His message reflects the mood within the D’Tigers camp: the campaign is difficult, but it is far from over.
Nigeria now has several months to assess the lessons from the latest window, correct its weaknesses and build on the confidence gained from the Cape Verde victory before the decisive games in February 2027.
The team will need greater consistency when the final window arrives.
The shooting struggles against Cameroon and South Sudan cannot be repeated, while the defensive lapses that allowed opponents back into games must also be addressed.
Against Cape Verde, however, D’Tigers demonstrated what they are capable of when their offence, defence and ball movement come together.
Nigeria shot 15-for-33 from three-point range, converting 45.5 per cent of its attempts from beyond the arc, while taking control of the game from the opening minutes.
That performance has given the team renewed belief.
The objective remains clear: qualify for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup and return Nigeria to the global stage.
The World Cup will be hosted by Qatar, and Nigeria are seeking a return to the competition after their most recent appearance in 2019.
Three games remain.
D’Tigers know the margin for error will be small, but the Cape Verde victory has ensured that the dream remains alive.
Now, the task is to turn that lifeline into momentum.
Nigeria’s qualification campaign is not over.
D’Tigers are still in the fight.
