D’Tigers of Nigeria point guard, Caleb Agada is expecting a very physically demanding quarter-finals fixture for the squad at the ongoing African Men’s Senior Basketball Championship in Luanda, Angola.
Sports247 reports that Agada was again among D’Tigers’ top performers in their 99-90 victory over Cameroon on Sunday, as he struck 15 points during the game at Pavilhao Multiusos de Luanda.
Josh Okogie led the way with 16 points, while long-standing veteran, Stan Okoye, was third with 14 points, as D’Tigers won the first three quarters (28-25, 30-16, 26-12) but dropped the fourth (15-37) and had to battle hard in order to snatch a nine-point margin win.
The 30-year-old Agada, who now plays for Forca Lleida of Spain, admitted it was a tough game and pointed out that the Cameroonians tried to bully D’Tigers with their physically imposing advantage.
Agada added, “Obviously, I think everybody knows we have one of the smallest teams here. So, they’re always going to try and bully us, especially with rebounds.”
The in-form star, whose next birthday is on August 31st, which would be exactly a week after the final of this year’s championship, concluded with a promise that he and his colleagues will continue giving their very best in each game until they win the cup, which would be the second time ever for Nigeria.
“We are always going to try and fight back. So, as long as we give our good effort and stay together for our roles, the group will be okay.
“We are expecting that the next one will also be another physical game, but we are ready,” stressed Agada, as he and other players eye Nigeria’s second AfroBasket title, exactly ten years after the first was achieved in 2015.
Stan Okoye, who is 34 years old and now plays for MoreBanc Andorra in the Spanish basketball league, is the only surviving member of that winning squad who is still in the present team being handled by Coach Mohammed Abdulrahman.
