Nigeria’s D’Tigers smoothly sailed through the first-leg of the 2019 FIBA World Cup African Qualifier after a three-match unbeaten streak to move top of Group B in Bamako, Mali. The 2017 Afrobasket Silver medalists ousted Uganda (102-86), Rwanda (108-53) and host Mali (82-59) with an average of 33-point-win margin to become the third undefeated team in the African qualifiers.
Tunisia and Angola of Group A and C respectively, are the other two teams yet to concede defeat in the race for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in China. Sailing through their three unbeaten matches, team captain Ike Diogu and point guard Michael Efevberha were the top two performers. Both scored 17.7 and 15.7 points per game respectively, to help their team each who scored a total of 292 points with 198 against.
Nigeria is followed by Uganda, Mali, and Rwanda that only secured a win out of three matches. As far as things stand in the group, Nigeria finds itself in a comfortable position, while the remaining three group members will battle to put themselves in a better position in the return-leg.
Elsewhere in Group D, all sides tasted defeat, but it was Senegal and Mozambique that managed to lose just a single game that placed them level on points. However, Cote d’Ivoire and Central African Republic (CAF) are also leveled on points but lost two out of three games.Cote d’Ivoire secured their lone victory against Senegal to extend their head-to-head record to a 5-1 advantage against the Lions but were unfortunate to get their second defeat against CAF.
The return-leg for the first round qualifiers returns in late June, early July. Group A matches will be played in Tunisia, Group B (yet to be confirmed), and Group C in Egypt while Group D matches will be played in Senegal.
Image: FIBA
