Senegal on Wednesday ended Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the semifinals of the ongoing Afrobasket Championship in Luanda, Angola, with a 91-75 win over D’Tigers.
The result came just a month after Nigeria’s D’Tigresses had beaten Senegal in the women’s final of the same competition, but this time the Senegalese men took their revenge.
Nigeria started well, edging the first quarter 24-23, but Senegal responded strongly in the second, dominating 30-18 to lead 53-42 at halftime. The third quarter was even tougher for D’Tigers as they trailed 23-13. A late push saw Nigeria take the fourth 20-15, but it was not enough to close the gap.
NBA star Josh Okogie, who had scored 33 points in a group game, struggled to make an impact and finished with just four points. Senegal’s Brancou Badio shone brightly, leading all scorers with 32 points and an efficiency rating of 29 per cent.
Despite the defeat, Nigeria still hold a narrow edge in their head-to-head record against Senegal, with five wins to four