Connect with us

Basketball

FIBA U-16 AFRICAN CHAMPIONSHIP: NIGERIA DEFEAT TUNISIA TO BOOK SEMI-FINAL TICKET

Published

on

Another sweet victory was recorded against Tunisia in the quarter final stage of the FIBA U-16 African Championship.

The boys who put up a commanding display to lay claim to one of the four available semi-final tickets dispatched their North African foe by 86-36 points.

The Fubara Onyenabo coached side were in full control of the game winning all four quarters, 24-9, 17-10, 27-8, 18-9 in what was largely a one sided affair.

Joy Ighonodjia posted a double-double performance with 22 points, 13 rebounds and three assists to help the team move a step closer to securing the 2020 FIBA U-17 World Cup ticket

Farouq Isah ranked second on the scorers chat with 17 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

Advertisement

Bormini Victor Dennis was the assist King with six to his name as well as nine points while Reuben Abuchi Chinyelu weighed in with 15 rebounds and six points.

Fubara praised the boys for their discipline and readiness to play as instructed which has continued to see the team improve with each game.

“Despite an eight man rotation, we have gotten this massive victory against Tunisia and also qualified for the semi-finals. I must commend the boys for doing exactly as instructed.”

The coach who failed to single out any player for commendation said the ability to play as a team has been the bedrock of the youngsters’ wins.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Basketball Federation President, Musa Kida has commended the team for their resilience as he advised them to take it a game at a time.

Advertisement

“We should not get ahead of ourselves. We have to continue taking it one game at a time and see how far the team can go”.

The last time both side met was at the semi-finals stage of the 2015 edition which Nigeria won by 56-49 points.

Another win in the semi-finals will see the Nigerian U-16 team qualify for the U-17 World Cup in Bulgaria.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

Continue Reading
Advertisement