Nigeria’s D’Tigers AfroBasket 2025 journey came to a painful end on Wednesday night after a 91–75 defeat to Senegal in their quarterfinal clash at the Pavilhão Multiusos de Luanda.
The D’Tigers, who entered the Last Eight with a perfect 3–0 record, started brightly and edged the opening quarter 24–23. However, Senegal regrouped quickly, turning the game on its head in the second quarter and never looking back.
Senegal Take Control
Jean Jacques Boissy ignited Senegal’s surge with a three-pointer on the first possession of the second quarter, and Amar Sylla added another from deep to stretch their lead to 29–24. From that moment, Nigeria never regained control.
Senegal’s physicality and sharp shooting overwhelmed the Nigerians, outscoring them 30–18 in the second quarter to establish an 11-point halftime lead (53–42).
The third quarter proved decisive, as Senegal widened the gap with a relentless 23–13 run. At one point, the Lions led by 24 points, effectively sealing Nigeria’s fate before the final buzzer.
Star Performers
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Brancou Badio was the standout player of the night, dazzling with a game-high 32 points, scoring from all areas of the court in a performance worthy of MVP chatter.
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Jean Jacques Boissy, the reigning BAL MVP with Al Ahly Tripoli, proved instrumental off the bench, adding 21 points, including five three-pointers.
For Nigeria, captain Ike Nwamu carried the scoring load with 14 first-half points, finishing as the team’s top scorer, while Stan Okoye chipped in with timely threes but couldn’t stop the Senegalese charge.
By the Numbers
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Rebounds: Senegal dominated the glass, outrebounding Nigeria 53–35.
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Bench Impact: Boissy’s 21 points from the bench underlined Senegal’s depth.
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Momentum Shift: Senegal’s two quick threes to open the second quarter turned a tight contest into a one-sided affair.
Voices from the Court
Following their loss, Nigeria’s D’Tigers guard, Ike Nwamu had a lot to say;
“It hurts. We had high hopes; we had a really good group, fun group, we all love each other. But it’s part of the game, one team has to win, another has to lose.”
“It was not our day. They came out with more energy. They are a really good team; they got lots of high-level players, it was their night tonight,” said the guard.
Head coach Mohamed Abdulrahman echoed the disappointment:
“In a night we were supposed to bring out our A-game, we fell short. I am not taking any credit away from Senegal, they deserve the win.”
“I am proud of how we played. We have an identity now and we are just moving forward from it.”
What’s Next?
Nigeria became the second undefeated team (after Côte d’Ivoire) to exit at the quarterfinal stage, while Senegal advanced to the semifinals for the fifth time since 2013.
Senegal will now face Mali in the semifinals, setting up another West African derby.
For the D’Tigers, the campaign ends in frustration, but with lessons learned as they turn their attention to the 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifiers.
