Nigeria’s U18 men’s basketball team, the J’Tigers, began their campaign at the FIBA U18 AfroBasket Zone 3 Qualifiers in emphatic fashion, recording a commanding 96-35 victory over Benin in Ouagadougou, Trybal News reports.
The young Nigerian side, assembled following an extensive nationwide selection process, displayed their quality throughout the contest, dominating all four quarters with a combination of defensive intensity, athleticism and clinical finishing.
Nigeria took control from the opening tip-off and never relinquished their grip on the game, establishing a comfortable advantage before halftime and extending their lead relentlessly in the second half to seal a 61-point victory.
Isaiah John led all scorers with 18 points, while Victor Nwafor added 17 points as Nigeria’s balanced offensive display overwhelmed their West African opponents.
The convincing result further underlined the commitment of the Nigeria Basketball Federation to grassroots development and youth basketball programmes aimed at sustaining the country’s growing reputation on the global stage.
Reacting to the victory, Ahmadu Musa Kida congratulated the players on what he described as a deserved win, crediting the achievement to the collective efforts of members of the federation’s board and technical team.
Kida reaffirmed the federation’s determination to continue investing in talent identification and player development structures across the country to ensure a steady production line of elite basketball talent for the future.
The impressive opening-day performance immediately establishes Nigeria as one of the leading contenders in the qualifiers as the J’Tigers continue their quest for a place at the continental championship.
