Nigeria’s men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, began their 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifying campaign with a tough 88–78 overtime loss to hosts Tunisia’s national basketball team at Salle Multidisciplinaire de Radès on Thursday.
Gatekeepers News reports that despite a promising start, Nigeria led 15–12 at the end of the first quarter, Tunisia stormed ahead in the second to go into halftime 35–32 up, and the sides were locked 53–53 at the end of the third.
The game went into extra time after a late rally by Nigeria, but Tunisia dominated the extra period to clinch the win. Talib Zanna top‑scored for Nigeria with 22 points, while Morris Udeze was the other D’Tigers player in double figures, adding 10; other squad members contributed smaller tallies.
This opener comes as Nigeria aims to bounce back after a disappointing slip to 53rd in the latest FIBA world rankings, a drop of 11 places following their exit in the quarter‑finals at 2025 FIBA AfroBasket 2025 tournament.
