Nigeia’s D’Tigers lost 68-77 to group leaders Cote d’Ivoire to finish second and fail to secure Group C’s automatic quarter-final ticket at the ongoing 2021 FIBA AfroBasket in Rwanda.
D’Tigers however has a second chance of qualification for the quarter-finals, with their final group position earning them a quarter-final qualifying fixture on Tuesday.
In their final group phase match, played at the City Arena in Kigali, the Nigerian senior men’s national team failed to raise their game and lost in three of the fixture’s four quarters.
With Cote d’Ivoire having won their first two games, just like Nigeria, and holding on tight to the group’s top spot, D’Tigers were aware only a win was needed.
It would earn them top-place finish and an automatic qualification to the quarter-finals which will begin on Wednesday.
D’Tigers had 2019 defeated the Ivorians 83-66 when they last met, in the classification round of the FIBA World Cup, but this counted for nothing on Sunday.
