Basketball
Libyan newspaper laments Nigeria’s defeat of Libya in AfroBasket
A newspaper in Libya, the Libya Akhbar has lamented the defeat of the national team by Nigeria in the AfroBasket qualifiers. Reporting the D’Tigers’ 75-70 win on Friday night, Libya Akhbar writes:
In a sporting evening marked by feelings of frustration and disappointment, the Libyan basketball team lost to its Nigerian counterpart with a score of (75-70) in the African qualifiers for the 2025 African Basketball Cup, scheduled to be held in Angola next August.
A match marked by excitement and dramatic twists until the last moments, but it ended with a heavy Libyan shock.
The Libyan team entered the match with a clear determination to prove itself against a strong opponent like Nigeria.
From the first moments, the features of a well-thought-out plan based on quick passes and tight defence appeared.
Despite falling behind at times, the Libyan team was able to stay in the atmosphere of the match, which gave the fans hope for a happy surprise
At the start of the fourth period, the Libyan team seemed capable of making a strong comeback.
The small difference in points provided a golden opportunity to equalize, and perhaps even win. The Libyan fans, who followed the match with passion, lived moments of excitement with every successful shot and every heroic defensive attempt.
However, the final minutes witnessed a sudden collapse in concentration, caused by repeated defensive errors and the players’ failure to capitalize on crucial scoring opportunities.
Nigeria, for its part, exploited these gaps and extended its lead, snatching victory at the critical moments.
Despite the strong performance of the Libyan team, the final result was a painful slap in the face.
After the match, the Libyan coach made statements that summed up the team’s feelings: “We took the lead at the crucial moments but lacked focus.” A statement that reflects disappointment but also hints at hope for improvement.
“We were close to a draw, but our defensive mistakes cost us the game,” said one of the team’s players.
The team captain stressed that “the defeat is painful, but it is not the end of the road. We must quickly correct our mistakes to stay in the race to qualify.”
With this loss, Libya’s tally froze at six points, while Nigeria’s tally rose to five points.
This match was a golden opportunity for Libya to top Group Two, tied with Cape Verde, but the defeat dashed these hopes.
In the same group, the qualifiers witnessed Uganda’s victory over Cape Verde (63-60), which further complicated the competition scene.
Libya’s chances now depend on the performance of the other teams and the need to achieve victories in the upcoming matches.
While Libya struggled, other Arab teams performed well. In Group D, Egypt secured a thrilling win over the Central African Republic (75-71), after a game that saw dramatic changes in the score.
Despite falling behind in the early stages, Egypt came back strongly to win the match.
As for the Tunisian team, it won its match against Kenya without much effort, after Kenya was absent from the match, so the victory was considered (20-0), which gave Tunisia the lead in Group Five with a full score.
Libya’s defeat to Nigeria revealed the strengths and weaknesses within the team. The ability to keep up with a strong team like Nigeria until the last moments is evidence of great potential, but the lack of focus at crucial times is a warning bell.
If the Libyan team wants to stay in the competition, it must address these gaps and work on enhancing its fighting spirit and self-confidence. The qualifiers are not over yet, and there is still a chance to return strongly.
Despite the defeat, there is still hope. Basketball is a game of chances and last seconds, and what happened in the Nigeria match should be an incentive for Libya to return stronger and more determined.
The Libyan fans, despite the bitterness, are still waiting for the moment of joy and victory that may come soon if the team learns the lessons of this harsh defeat.
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By Ugo Okeiyi, Enugu
The end-of-year Ozobz Elite Basketball Invitational Tournament, tagged “Championing the Youth Through Sports, Education and Opportunity,” has taken off and will be concluded on Friday. The three-day event is taking place at the Indoor Sports Multipurpose Gymnasium, Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.
The grassroots basketball competition is designed to serve as a platform for discovering and nurturing the next generation of Nigerian basketball talent.
A total of 14 teams — eight male and six female sides drawn from across the country — are competing for honours in what promises to be an exciting three-day basketball spectacle.
The tournament is powered by the Anthony Ozubuekwe Foundation, in collaboration with the Enugu State Ministry for Youth and Sports Development and the Enugu State Basketball Association.
Organisers say fans should expect high-quality action, with displays of skill, athleticism and tactical awareness from some of the most promising young players in the country.
According to the organisers, the initiative is structured to positively engage young people, steering them away from social vices and criminal tendencies, while using sports as a tool for education, personal development and opportunity creation.
They added that the tournament will also give coaches and team officials a valuable opportunity to assess the mental readiness, discipline and competitive mindset of the players, while providing a conducive environment for athletes to interact, bond and learn from one another.
The competition will be played in a round-robin format, with attractive prize money on offer. In the men’s category, the champions will receive ₦2 million and a giant trophy, while the runners-up will earn ₦1.5 million.
In the women’s category, the winning team will go home with ₦1.5 million, while the second-placed team will receive ₦750,000.
With its blend of competition, youth empowerment and community development, the Ozobz Elite Basketball Invitational is expected to be one of the standout grassroots sports events of the year in Enugu State.
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Former head coach of Nigeria’s men’s basketball team, Alex Nwora, will join family, friends and well-wishers on December 28, 2025, to celebrate the 90th birthday of his father, Chief Charles Okwudi Nworah, in Onitsha, Anambra State.
The milestone celebration, according to Evelyn Childs, Public Relations Officer of the US-based Imo Women Elite Club (IWEC), will take place at the expansive Onitsha compound of the nonagenarian, who is highly regarded in his community.
Born on April 17, 1936, to Akudo and Agnes Nwora of the Okakwu family in Ogbedogwu Village, Onitsha, Chief Nworah’s early years reflected strong family values rooted in education and public service. He attended St. Mary’s Catholic School before moving on to Prince Commercial College, and later completed his secondary education at Baptist High School, Osogbo, in Osun State.
Chief Nworah began his career in the civil service at a young age with the Post and Telecommunications Service (P&T), where his father also served and retired as a senior manager. His professional journey continued seamlessly into Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) following the merger of P&T with the Nigerian External Telecommunications.
Alex Nwora, who led D’Tigers through notable periods of growth and international competition, is expected to play a central role in the celebration, which will bring together members of the extended Nwora family and the Onitsha community to honour the life and legacy of the elder statesman.
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred national honours on all members of Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, in recognition of their historic victory at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship in Côte d’Ivoire.
Each member of the team was decorated with the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) title at a special reception held on Monday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Representing the president at the event was Vice President Kashim Shettima, who announced a series of generous rewards for the champions.
In addition to the national honours, each player will receive $100,000, while each member of the technical crew will be given $50,000. The government also pledged a flat in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to every player and official on the squad.
The rewards follow D’Tigress’s emphatic 78-64 win over Mali in Sunday’s AfroBasket final, played at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan. The victory marked Nigeria’s fifth consecutive AfroBasket title, a feat unmatched in the tournament’s history. With the triumph, D’Tigress also secured an automatic berth to the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, Germany.
President Tinubu, in his remarks delivered by Vice President Shettima, hailed the team’s resilience, determination, and consistency, describing their dominance on the continental stage as a symbol of national pride and inspiration to the youth.
Present at the reception were First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, Garba Maidoki, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Youths and Sports Development, and Kabiru Amadou, Chairman of the House Committee on Sports.
The honours and incentives underscore the government’s renewed commitment to recognising excellence in sports and motivating future champions.
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