Nigeria’s D’Tigers will battle Senegal in the quarterfinals of the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket on Wednesday, August 20, in Angola, in a bid for history and place in the final four which automatically qualifies for the 2027 World Cup.
The Lions Senegal were made to sweat for their AfroBasket quarterfinals spot after defeating South Sudan 78-65 to set up a West African Derby against Nigeria.
The last time these two sides met in a knockout stage was the 2015 AfroBasket semifinal, where D’Tigers edged Senegal 88–79 after overtime before defeating Angola in the final to win their first-ever continental title.
On the other hand, Senegal will look to take a revenge for their sister team. This is because Nigeria’s D’Tigress lashed Senegal in the semifinals of the Women’s AfroBasket earlier this year, enroute to their successful record fifth straight championship.
It is safe to the unbeaten Tigers will look to repeated this feat as a lucky charm to end their title drought after a decade.
Stan Okoye’s Legacy: The 36-year-old forward is the only surviving member of the 2015 title-winning squad and will look to providing leadership and experience to the team as they seek a second in the Afrobasket Competition.
What is at Stake?
Beyond a semifinal berth, both teams are also chasing automatic qualification for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 in Qatar, making this derby clash even more high-stakes.
Meanwhile, Nigeria defeated the Afrobasket defending Champions, Cameroon 99-90 in their last group stage game, hence, this strong opponent should not feel foreign to the team on court as they would be expecting a fight.
Road to the Quarterfinals
Nigeria (Group B Leaders)
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Defeated Madagascar 77–59
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Defeated Tunisia 87–66
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Defeated Cameroon 99–90
- A perfect 3–0 record and direct qualification to Quarterfinals
Senegal (Playoff Route)
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Defeated Uganda 88–53
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Defeated Mali 84–70
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Lost to Egypt 91–77
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Defeated South Sudan 78–65 (Playoff)
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Qualified via playoffs, ending South Sudan’s journey
- Five-time Afrobasket champions
D’Tigers AfroBasket Pedigree
Nigeria’s D’Tigers (20th AfroBasket appearance)
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Gold: 2015
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Silver: 1997, 1999, 2003, 2017
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Bronze: 1995, 2005, 2011
Senegal’s Lions (30th AfroBasket appearance)
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Gold: 1968, 1972, 1978, 1980, 1997
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Silver: 6 times
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Bronze: 5 times
Match Details
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Fixture: Nigeria vs Senegal
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Venue: Pavilhão Multiusos de Luanda, Angola
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Date: Wednesday, August 20, 2025
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Time: 7:00 PM (GMT+1)
