Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, produced a commanding 106-62 victory over Rwanda on Sunday to complete an unbeaten campaign in the third window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 African Qualifiers in Luanda, Angola.
The emphatic win cemented Nigeria’s place in the second round of the qualifiers, following hard-fought victories over Guinea (80-79) and Tunisia (84-81) earlier in the window. While the team returns home with momentum and a renewed sense of belief, assistant coach David Vanterpool stressed that the ultimate objective of qualifying for Qatar 2027 remains unfulfilled.
“Our goal was to come here and win three games. The job is not done,” Vanterpool told FIBA. “We still have a lot of work to do, and we’ll continue preparing this team.”
Veteran forward Stan Okoye echoed the coach’s sentiments, describing the unbeaten run as a significant confidence booster while acknowledging the challenges that lie ahead.
“Going home 3-0 feels amazing, but the job is not done. Representing Nigeria means the world to me, and every opportunity to wear this jersey is a blessing,” Okoye said.
Nigeria entered the Luanda window in need of positive results following a challenging start to the qualifying campaign. However, the team revitalised their World Cup aspirations with three consecutive victories, dispatching Guinea, Tunisia, and Rwanda in emphatic fashion to advance with renewed purpose.
