Nigeria’s men’s basketball national team, D’Tigers are in search of redemption, after their bold effort could not prevent them from falling 82-79 to South Sudan and they suffered a second straight defeat in two days, Sports247 reports.
D’Tigers slumped again at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 African Qualifiers at Salle Multidisciplinaire de Radès in Radès, Tunisia, where Nigeria recovered from an early double-digit deficit and briefly took control in the third quarter, but could not hold on.
Conversely, South Sudan stood strong in the closing stages to seal a three-point victory, having made a strong start with a 9-0 run in the opening phase to turn a 14-15 deficit into a 25-15 advantage and ended the first quarter with an 11-point lead at 30-19.
D’Tigers got their best run to end the second quarter and start of the third, as Caleb Agada helped turn a 43-41 South Sudan lead into a 48-43 advantage for Nigeria with 9:08 remaining in the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Josh Okogie connected from beyond the arc with 7:03 remaining to level at 70-70 after South Sudan edged ahead 70-67 and Wenyen Gabriel hit a hook shot in the paint just 21 seconds later to restore a 72-70 lead.
Marial Shayok led South Sudan with 19 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals, plus a huge third quarter impact, scoring eight points in just 1:33, while Nuni Omot added 13 points and calmly converting two free throws in the closing moments.
Carlik Jones finished with 11 points, 12 assists, eight rebounds and two steals in 32:39, while controlling the tempo for South Sudan, while Okogie got 14 points, eight rebounds and two assists, shooting 4-of-9 from the field and 5-of-6 at the free-throw line for Nigeria.
The Bright Stars also produced a crucial 29-22 scoring advantage across the decisive stretch from 7:33 of the third quarter through 4:43 of the fourth, while recording four blocks and committing only two turnovers.
Nigeria’s inability to capitalise from the free-throw line during that period also proved costly, as D’Tigers went 0-of-2, but the closing 2:25 were tense, with Nigeria outscoring South Sudan 4-2, but the deficit was too wide to overturn.
The result leaves South Sudan celebrating a narrow victory in a game Nigeria will feel it had opportunities to win after overturning an 11-point first-quarter deficit and taking a five-point lead early in the third.
