From Joe Apu, Tripoli
A determined Nigeria side bounced back from a disappointing campaign in February to secure a hard-fought 75-70 victory over Libya bit head Coach of the team Abdulrahman Mohammed insists that the job is not done yet.
“I give credit to the players for their determination but we’re not done yet as we face Cape Verde and Uganda. We’re taking every game at a time and the practice time have had helped us a lot to have team chemistry. Another thing that helped us too is the complete change in our team from the first window in Tunisia.”
The win marks their first of the qualifiers and lifts them off the bottom of the Group B table.
Trailing 35-32 at halftime, Nigeria rallied in the third quarter, outscoring Libya 20-16 to take control of the game. Caleb Agada led the charge for the West African giants with a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Despite Libya’s efficiency—committing just six turnovers compared to Nigeria’s 18—their dominance in the paint (40-28) was not enough to prevent defeat. The result leaves Nigeria on five points, just one behind co-leaders Libya and Uganda.
With crucial games remaining, both Uganda and Nigeria have reinvigorated their AfroBasket 2025 qualification campaigns, setting the stage for an intense battle in the coming rounds.
Speaking after the win over Libya Talib Zanna noted that sheer determination was the driving force behind Nigeria’s fight back despite Libya’s home support. “We had our back against the wall and had no choice than to put up a real fight to take victory over the host. From the start of the game, it was clear to us that we were up against the host, the crowd as well as the home court advantage and we had to keep focus because our goal is to turn things around for our team.”
Uganda’s Silverbacks pulled off a major upset in the FIBA AfroBasket 2025 Qualifiers, defeating Group B favorites Cape Verde 63-60 in a crucial victory that strengthens their bid for a spot in the continental tournament. Meanwhile, Nigeria secured a vital win over hosts Libya, rekindling their hopes after a slow start in the qualifiers.
Led by Robinson Opong, Uganda set the tone early, outscoring Cape Verde 22-12 in the first quarter. Opong, who holds the record for most points in a game, delivered an outstanding performance with 22 points, two rebounds, and two steals, shooting 50% from the field. He was complemented by Ishmael Wainwright, who added 16 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.
Despite a determined effort from Cape Verde, who fought back with 11 lead changes throughout the game, their struggles from beyond the arc—hitting just 29% of their three-point attempts—proved costly. Uganda capitalized on their strong start to fend off the late challenge and move closer to qualification.