D’Tigers claim first win of FIBA African qualifiers in overtime battle against Rwanda
Nigeria finally got off the mark in the FIBA World Cup African Qualifiers with a dramatic 75–69 overtime victory over Rwanda in Radès, Tunisia, their first win of the tournament, and of Group C, after suffering defeats in their opening two games.
It was a tense and unpredictable contest. Rwanda started stronger, taking a 21–12 lead in the first quarter, but Nigeria clawed back with a gritty 13–6 second quarter.
The third belonged to Nigeria, who outscored Rwanda 20–9, only for the East Africans to storm back with a 25–16 fourth quarter to force overtime.
In the extra period, Nigeria showed resilience and urgency, outpacing Rwanda 14–8 to seal the win.
Morris Udeze led the charge with a game-high efficiency rating of 35, while Dieudonne Ndizeye stood out for Rwanda with 19.
Despite trailing for over 23 minutes and facing a 12-point deficit, Nigeria’s biggest scoring run of 12–0 and their defensive grit proved decisive.
They shot 61.3% on two-pointers and held Rwanda to just 32% overall from the field.
The win not only ended Nigeria’s losing streak but also reignited their hopes as they look forward to the next round of qualifiers.
