Nigeria’s D’Tigers have made life difficult for themselves in the opening window of the 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifiers, with two losses in three games leaving them under pressure heading into the next phase.
Their campaign got off to a rough start with an 88–78 overtime loss to hosts Tunisia last Thursday. The setback was followed by an even more surprising blow — a 69–55 defeat to Guinea, marking the West Africans’ first-ever victory over Nigeria in senior men’s basketball.
The team finally found some stability in their final game of the window, edging Rwanda 75–69 in overtime. The win came largely thanks to a brilliant display from Morris Udeze, who poured in 30 points — the highest individual scoring performance recorded in the opening round of qualifiers.
Head coach Abdulrahman Mohammed was quick to highlight Udeze’s importance, praising his character and commitment.
“If he wasn’t here, I don’t know where we would have been,” Mohammed said. “He embraced his role, he’s dedicated, he’s reliable, and he always leaves everything on the court. He deserves huge credit for this win. He’s been exceptional.”
Despite their inconsistent showing, D’Tigers still sit third in Group C — a position they must at least maintain in the next window to advance to the second stage. The top three teams from each group progress, carrying their first-round results into the next phase.
From there, 12 teams will compete in two groups of six, with only the top two in each group and the best third-placed team securing places at the 2027 World Cup. Nigeria still has a path, but its margin for error has shrunk drastically.
