Nigeria’s Junior D’Tigers will take on Angola on Saturday for the second game of the 2024 FIBA U-18 AfroBasket in Pretoria, South Africa, NIGERIAN Sports Extra reports.
The team couldn’t shake off the shock of being initially denied visas by the South Africa Consulate in Abuja and the jetlag, as they lost 70-57 to champions Egypt in their Group B opener on Thursday morning.
Junior D’Tigers made their North African opponents sweat for victory by finishing the first quarter in the ascendancy (17-14), with Favour Ibe and David Ike delivering dunks against their opponents. Nigeria also used the fastbreak well, scoring seven to Egypt’s zero quarter.
Egypt had to wait until the fourth quarter to despatch Nigeria, 70-57 in the Group B battle, at the University of Pretoria’s Rembrandt Hall in South Africa.
Mohammed Hussin led all scorers with 21 points, while his teammate Omar Mowafak contributed 15.
Azeez Sulaimon was Nigeria’s scoring leader with 14 points.
Nigeria, sharing an equal amount of titles as Egypt (6), showed no signs of travel fatigue, having arrived on the eve of the match.
Egypt relied on their three-point shooting, as 21 of their points came from behind the arc.
Heading to the half-time break, the Egyptians led 37-32, with Hussin leading all scorers with 11 poin
Nigeria started the third quarter with a 6-0 run to take the lead 38-37, but a Hussin three cooled Nigeria’s hot start.
Another Hussin three stretched Egypt’s lead (45-41), but Isaac Ezekiel’s bucket and free throws from Favour Ibetied the game. Both teams scrapped it out until the end of the quarter, with Egypt taking a slight lead (52-48) going into the final quarter.
Late in the fourth, Egypt gained control of the game with a Hussin mid-range shot, and Omar Aly’s fastbreak dunk, which earned him a tech for hanging on the rim, gave the North Africans a 10-point lead (63-53).
Egypt proved too strong in the end, as they took the game by 13 points.
“I had a good game. It was also a great win for my team. It sets us up well for the rest of the tournament,” said Mohammed Hussin.
Nigeria lead 2-1 head-to-head and head into Saturday’s tie as favourites. Both teams met twice at the 2008 edition, with Angola triumphing 71-65 in the semifinals, while Nigeria gained the upper hand 51-44 in the preliminary round and earlier defeated Angola 64-48 at the 2006 edition.
