D’Tigers Respond in Style as Agada Leads Nigeria Past Cape Verde

D’Tigers produced the response they desperately needed, beating Cape Verde 100–84 in their final game of the qualifying window. After struggling in their earlier matches, Nigeria returned with greater confidence, better ball movement and a much-improved shooting performance.

At the centre of the turnaround was Caleb Agada, who delivered an outstanding individual display. Agada finished with 26 points and six assists, knocking down eight three-pointers from 11 attempts. His shooting opened up the floor and gave Nigeria the attacking spark they had been missing.

Nigeria also got valuable contributions from Josh Okogie, who finished with 15 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds. Ike Nwamu added 14 points, while Efe Obogidi contributed 11, as D’Tigers finally found the offensive rhythm that had eluded them earlier in the window.

The victory takes Nigeria to 5–4, with three qualifying games still to play. That leaves the World Cup qualification race very much alive, but the next window will be decisive. Nigeria cannot afford to rely on another single outstanding performance; they need to carry this confidence into the remaining games and produce consistently.

The biggest positive from the Cape Verde victory is the way D’Tigers responded under pressure. They showed that when the shots are falling, the ball is moving and the players are confident, they can cause serious problems for opponents. The challenge now is to make this performance the start of a turnaround, rather than simply a memorable night.

With three games remaining, Nigeria still has a chance to fight its way back into contention for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup. The next window will demand greater consistency, stronger defence and another big contribution from Agada and the team’s key players.