‘It Wasn’t Our Day’: Coach Abdulrahman Reacts to D’Tigers AfroBasket Elimination

The echoes of disappointment rang loud from the Nigerian camp on Wednesday night as the men’s national basketball team bowed out of the 2025 AfroBasket tournament, falling 91–75 to a ruthless Senegalese side in the quarterfinals.

‘It hurts,’ admitted guard Ike Nwamu, his voice heavy with emotion.

‘We had high hopes; we had a really good group, fun group, we all love each other… but it was not our day today. They came out with more energy. We were kind of flat to start.’

Head coach Mohamed Abdulrahman echoed the sentiment, acknowledging Senegal’s superiority while holding firm to the team’s evolving identity:

‘In a night we were supposed to bring out our A-game, we fell short. I’m not taking any credit away from Senegal—they deserve the win. I’m proud of how we played. We have an identity now and we are just moving from it.’

But identity alone wasn’t enough to stop Senegal from storming into the semifinals for the fifth consecutive time. Led by Brancou Badio, who dropped a tournament-high 32 points, and Jean Jacques Boissy, who added 21 off the bench, Senegal dismantled Nigeria’s defense with precision and power.

Nigeria started strong, edging the first quarter 24–23 after a flurry of lead changes. But the tide turned quickly. Boissy and Amar Sylla opened the second quarter with back-to-back three-pointers, giving Senegal a lead they never relinquished. A 13–5 run followed, and Nigeria’s timeout couldn’t stem the bleeding.

By the third quarter, Senegal had built a 24-point cushion, exploiting their height advantage to dominate the boards (53–35) and punish Nigeria’s porous defense. The game, once billed as a clash of titans, became a showcase of Senegalese supremacy.

While the men’s team grapples with inconsistency and heartbreak, Nigeria’s women’s national team continues to set the gold standard in African basketball.

The D’Tigress have won five consecutive AfroBasket titles, asserting dominance with tactical discipline, elite conditioning, and a winning culture that the men’s side has yet to replicate.