D’Tigers head coach David Fizdale has hailed his players’ resilience and fighting spirit after Nigeria secured a hard-fought 84-81 victory over Tunisia in the FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers in Luanda, Angola.
The victory marked Fizdale’s first competitive game in charge of the Nigerian senior men’s basketball team and significantly boosted D’Tigers’ hopes of qualifying for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
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Despite the result, the former NBA coach admitted preparations were far from ideal, revealing that travel disruptions meant players arrived from different parts of the world with little time to recover before the game.
“We had just one training session together after players travelled from different countries. It wasn’t the ideal preparation, but the team’s resilience made the difference,” Fizdale said.
The American tactician acknowledged that Nigeria committed several mistakes during the contest but praised his players for staying mentally strong and delivering when it mattered most.
He credited the team’s defensive discipline and execution in the closing stages for helping D’Tigers secure an important opening victory.
“We made mistakes, but the players showed tremendous character. They came up with big defensive stops and crucial baskets when we needed them most,” he added.
Fizdale also expressed confidence that the team would improve as the players spend more time together and become more familiar with his tactical philosophy.
With matches against Guinea and Rwanda still to come in the qualification window, the D’Tigers coach believes the victory over Tunisia has laid a solid foundation for Nigeria’s quest to reach the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
