D’Tigers revive World Cup hopes with Tunisia win

Nigeria's D'Tigers secured a vital 84-81 victory over Tunisia in their 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifying campaign, boosting their hopes of reaching the next round. The thrilling encounter in Luanda, Angola, marked a significant turnaround for the team, which had suffered two defeats in the previous qualifying window.

Under the guidance of new head coach David Fizdale, a two-time NBA champion, the D'Tigers demonstrated resilience and toughness down the stretch. After a closely contested first half, Nigeria regained the initiative in the third quarter and held on for a hard-fought three-point win. This victory was Fizdale's first in charge since his appointment in May to revive the team's fortunes.

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Collective and physical toughness down the stretch won us the game.

The win propels Nigeria to third place in Group C with six points, level with second-placed Tunisia and two points behind leaders Guinea. The team now faces a critical match against Guinea, where another victory would see them draw level on points with the group leaders and significantly enhance their progression prospects. The top three teams from each of the four groups will advance to the second round of qualifiers.

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We did a lot of things wrong. We made a lot of mistakes that these guys have never made.