Nigeria and Senegal Set for Quarter-Final Clash at AfroBasket 2025
The quarter-final stage of the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket tournament will witness a titanic showdown between two of Africa’s basketball powerhouses, Nigeria and Senegal.
The fixture is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, August 20 inside the Pavilhão Multiusos de Luanda in Angola. With both teams boasting rich histories and passionate followings, the matchup promises to be one of the most anticipated contests of the tournament.
According to FIBA AfroBasket website, Nigeria enters the game with strong public backing, having received 100 percent of fan votes in a recent prediction poll.
The D’Tigers have shown flashes of brilliance throughout the group phase and will be looking to assert their dominance against a Senegalese side that has proven resilient and tactically disciplined.
The rivalry between Nigeria and Senegal has spanned decades, producing memorable encounters and dramatic finishes.
Their most recent meeting occurred on August 14, 2023, during the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament. In that contest, Senegal edged Nigeria by a score of 93 to 87 in the group phase, delivering a statement performance that still lingers in the minds of fans and analysts.
Prior to that, the two sides met on February 24, 2019, in the African Qualifiers for the FIBA Basketball World Cup. Senegal once again emerged victorious, defeating Nigeria 84 to 63 in a commanding display.
However, Nigeria had previously asserted its superiority on September 16, 2018, when the D’Tigers overwhelmed Senegal 89 to 61 in the second round of the same World Cup qualifiers.
The 2017 FIBA AfroBasket semi-final saw Nigeria edge Senegal 76 to 71 in a tightly contested battle, while the 2015 edition of the tournament featured another semi-final clash, with Nigeria prevailing 88 to 79.
In 2013, the two teams met in the quarter-finals of the FIBA Africa Championship for Men, where Senegal narrowly defeated Nigeria 64 to 63 in a heart-stopping finish.
Further back in history, Nigeria defeated Senegal 76 to 58 in the semi-final round of the 2009 FIBA Africa Championship. In the 2001 African Championship for Men, Nigeria recorded an 80 to 65 victory over Senegal in the preliminary round, showcasing the depth and consistency of their basketball program.
With Nigeria holding five wins to Senegal’s three in their AfroBasket head-to-head record, the upcoming quarter-final offers both teams a chance to tip the scales.
For Nigeria, it is an opportunity to reaffirm its status as a continental giant. For Senegal, it is a chance to rewrite the narrative and advance to the semi-finals with renewed momentum.
