Nigeria Stuns Mali in at FIBA World Cup Qualifiers
Nigeria took a 72-70 win over Mali on Saturday at Pavilhao Multiusos Acacias Rubras in Benguela, Angola.
It was an impressive match for D’Tigers, which rallied from an early 12-point deficit to record its first victory in the 2023 Fiba World Cup African qualifiers.
Ogundiran, who missed the first game against Cape Verde and arrived just in time for the Mali game, unleashed 19 points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals off the bench, none bigger than his backbreaking three with 37.6 seconds left and got a bonus after he was fouled by Mahamadou Kante.
Obekpa took over the defensive chores in the other end, denying N’faly Kanoute’s layup drive with an emphatic block to preserve the victory in the clutch, the biggest of his three rejections in the game, on top of his eight-point, five-rebound statline.
D’Tigers of Nigeria lost 79-71 to their Cape Verde opponents in their opening game. They will be playing Uganda today, a match which they must win to ensure qualification for the FIBA world cup.
