Nigeria’s D’Tigers face an increasingly perilous qualification road to the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup after a turbulent first window in Tunis, where they suffered two demoralizing defeats before salvaging a tense overtime victory in their final outing.
With only one win from three games, the former African champions sit third in Group C, keeping their hopes alive but leaving no room for further error.
The first qualification window, which ran from November 27–30, exposed glaring vulnerabilities in the Nigerian team (defensively, tactically, and mentally), while also highlighting the brilliance of one man who kept the campaign from collapsing altogether.
Slow Start, Costly Setbacks: Tunisia and Guinea Shock D’Tigers
Opening Game: Tunisia 88–78 Nigeria (OT)
Nigeria’s qualifying campaign opened with a frustrating 88–78 overtime loss to hosts Tunisia, a defeat compounded by a chaotic travel schedule that saw the team arrive in Tunis just hours before their only training session.
Head coach Abdulrahman Mohammed deployed a starting lineup of Jordan Ogundiran, Ike Nwamu, Stan Okoye, Talib Zanna, and Chris Obekpa.
Despite a lively start, leading 5–0 and winning the first quarter 15–12, the D’Tigers lost their rhythm in the second period, trailing 35–32 at halftime.
The game remained tight, and Nigeria forced overtime at 73–73 after Stan Okoye’s late three-pointer, but Tunisia outplayed them in the extra period, led by Omar Abada, who posted a game-high 29 points.
Zanna was Nigeria’s standout performer with 22 points and eight rebounds, but the late collapse sealed a defeat that set an ominous tone for the weekend.
Historic Defeat: Guinea 69–55 Nigeria (Game 2)
Two days later, Nigeria hit an unprecedented nadir with a 69–55 loss to Guinea, their first-ever defeat to the West African nation in international basketball, ending a dominance that stretched back to 1985.
Guinea controlled the matchup from start to finish, leading 22–16 after the first quarter and 35–26 at the break, with Nigeria struggling offensively and lacking defensive cohesion.
Guinea’s Serbian head coach Nedeljko Ascerić credited their aggressive defensive execution for the monumental win.
“The X-factor was our defence. We held them to 27 per cent shooting,” Ascerić said.
Nigeria had no effective response to Guinea’s star duo Souleyman Boum Jr. and Shannon Evans, who combined for 40 points and ensured Guinea maintained their perfect start to the qualifiers.
The defeat left D’Tigers’ World Cup campaign in crisis mode.
Nigeria Survive Rwanda Scare in Overtime (Game 3)
With pressure mounting and the prospect of a disastrous winless window looming, Nigeria edged Rwanda 75–69 in overtime, thanks to a spectacular performance from Morris Udeze, who produced arguably the most important individual display of the window.
Udeze poured in 30 points, the highest by any player in the first qualification window, and carried the team on his back in a must-win encounter.
Coach Abdulrahman Mohammed openly acknowledged that the win belonged to Udeze:
“I don’t want to take some of the credit away from other guys, but if he (Morris Udeze) wasn’t here, I don’t know where we would have been.”
“We gave him a role, and he embraced it.”
“He’s the most gentleman I have ever coached at the national team. He is always committed, dedicated, and he is always ready.”
“Every time he is on the floor, he gives everything he’s got. I would like to give him credit for today’s win. He’s been fantastic.”
The victory helped Nigeria avoid bottom-place humiliation and kept them third in Group C.
Squad Overview: Blend of Experience and Home-Based Talent
For this window, Nigeria named a 12-man roster mixing overseas professionals and three home-based players.
Former Afrobasket captain Ike Nwamu led the squad, supported by veterans Stan Okoye, Chris Obekpa, and newcomers like Mike Nuga, Olisa Akonobi, and Chingka Garba.
The full squad included:
- Olisa Akonobi,
- Paul Dibal,
- Chingka Garba,
- Morris Udeze,
- Mike Nuga,
- Ike Nwamu,
- Christopher Obekpa,
- Jordan Ogundiran,
- Augustine Okafor,
- Stan Okoye,
- Ugo Simon,
- Talib Zanna.
The Nigeria Basketball Federation earlier stated the team was “locked and loaded”, though the results suggest a squad still seeking cohesion.
What Comes Next: Window Two and Qualification Pathway
Nigeria remain third in Group C, with the next window set for July 2026, where the same teams (Tunisia, Guinea, Rwanda) will meet again to complete the first round.
Qualification Structure
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Top 3 teams in each group advance to the second round.
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Results from the first round are carried over.
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The 12 qualifying teams split into two groups of six.
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Each team plays six additional games.
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Only:
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Top 2 from each group, and
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Best third-placed team
qualify for the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar.
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Africa has only five qualification slots.
D’Tigers’ Current Standing and Pressure to Rebuild
Nigeria currently sit 8th in FIBA Africa’s power rankings, far below the heights they once occupied under former coaches Will Voigt and Alex Nwora.
The federation has warned and requested that these qualifiers are crucial to “restoring the status once enjoyed by D’Tigers,” especially after:
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Crashing out early in 2019 World Cup, and
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Failing to qualify for 2023.
A Narrow Path, but Hope Remains
Despite a turbulent start, D’Tigers remain alive, barely. Their survival depends on:
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Sharper execution,
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Better preparation,
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Stronger roster consistency, and
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Immediate defensive improvement.
With three games left in the first phase, Nigeria must win at least two to solidify advancement and avoid a catastrophic World Cup absence for a second consecutive cycle.
