February 24, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian men’s basketball team achieved a decisive 77-62 victory against Cape Verde on Sunday, completing their Group B campaign in the FIBA Afrobasket Qualifiers. The match, held at the Grand Hall Arena in Tripoli, Libya, marked Nigeria’s third straight win in the qualification phase, guaranteeing their spot in the August 2025 finals in Angola.
Cape Verde established an early advantage, leading 26-22 at the end of the first quarter. Nigeria responded with authority in the second period, outscoring their opponents 26-7 to build a 48-33 lead by halftime. Caleb Agada stood out with 16 points before the break, setting the foundation for Nigeria’s control of the game.
The third quarter saw Cape Verde reduce the gap, winning the period 21-13. However, Nigeria dominated the final quarter, limiting their opposition to eight points while scoring 16. Agada finished with 23 points and six assists, while Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu contributed nine rebounds. The team maintained an effective field goal percentage of 48.6% throughout the contest.
Nigeria and Cape Verde both accumulated nine points at the top of Group B, ensuring their advancement to the finals. This qualification extends Nigeria’s consecutive appearances at Afrobasket to 14, building on their 2015 championship victory. The team’s performance included earlier wins against Libya (75-70) and Uganda (87-67), following three losses at the start of qualifying in 2024. Coach Abdulrahman Mohammed recognised the efforts of nine players and staff who performed despite limited preparation time.
The 2025 Afrobasket finals will take place from August 12 to 24 in Angola, the nation’s fourth time hosting the continental championship. Nigeria enters the tournament with momentum from their qualification campaign, aiming to compete for the continental title.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
