Photo Credit: FIBA / Punch Newspapers
Fizdale Insists D’Tigers Can Still Make 2027 World Cup After Cape Verde Rout

Nigeria’s D’Tigers have kept their 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification hopes alive.

Head coach David Fizdale said the dream is still on after his side thrashed Cape Verde 100-84 in their final game of Window 4 of the African Qualifiers on Sunday at the Salle Multidisciplinaire de Radès in Radès, Tunisia.

Nigeria came into the game with a 4-4 record and needed a fifth win to stay in contention — a target Fizdale described as urgent. The team responded by leading from the opening tip and never losing control.

Fizdale said after the game:
“We needed that win to stay in the fight and give ourselves a chance. I told the guys if we get to five wins, we are within striking distance of qualifying in the next window.”
D’Tigers started fast with a 9-0 run, took the first quarter 23-9, led 52-35 at halftime and 76-54 after three quarters before closing out 100-84, at one point leading by 27 points.

Caleb Agada led the way with a game-high 26 points on 9/12 shooting, including 8/11 from three, plus six assists in just under 24 minutes. When Cape Verde threatened a comeback late, Agada scored eight points between 3:44 and 1:38 in the fourth quarter to seal it.

Josh Okogie nearly had a triple-double with 15 points, 10 assists, 8 rebounds and 4 steals for an efficiency rating of 25 and a game-high +28, while Chimezie Metu dominated inside with 12 rebounds, 6 points and 4 assists, and captain Ike Nwamu added 14 points.

Fizdale praised the team’s shooting after struggling in the first two games:
“I was really happy, finally we made threes, because we just could not make shots the first two games.”
The victory improved Nigeria to 5-4, reviving their hopes after earlier losses to Cameroon and South Sudan in this window.

The final qualifying window will be played in February 2027, where the top two teams in each group plus the best third-placed team will qualify for the World Cup in Qatar.
Source: Punch Newspapers