BBWCQ: D'Tigers lose again, slump to Guinea 55-69

BBWCQ: D'Tigers lose again, slump to Guinea 55-69
Nigeria’s Male Basketball team, D’Tigers on Saturday lost back to back game in the World Cup qualifiers falling 55-69 to the Sylli National of Guinea that beat the Nigerians in every of the quarters played at Salle Multidiscipline de Rades in Tunisia.
Nigeria lost the first quarter 16-22; lost the 2nd 10-13; 3rd 15-17 and the 4th 14-17 in the game that Guinea dominated with 55-42 total rebounds; made field goals of 35-27 and got Nigeria napping with the 3 points goals of 10-6 before M. Diallo of Mali as main Ref supported by I. Diouachi of Madagascar and A. Abollo of Egypt as Match officials.
D’Tigers of Nigeria had yesterday lost to Tunisia 78 -88 after extra time while Guinea also yesterday shocked Rwanda with 82-70 win. That will put much pressure on the Nigerian team to win Sunday’s game against Rwanda at 5pm Nigerian Time.
Nigeria now ranked 65 in the world had only met the Sylli Nationals (National Elephants) of Guinea now ranked 72 in the world thrice before this encounter with Nigeria winning twice and Guinea once. In a world cup qualifier of 23rd June 2023 Nigeria won 89-70; on 25th June 2023 Nigeria won 62-59 in another world cup qualifier while in an international friendly of 30th June 2023 Nigeria lost 62-65.
In the games played this year August, Guinea on 12th beat South Sudan 88-58; on the 14th lost to the African champs Angola 68-84; on 15th she subdued Liberia 83-65 and on 18th she lost to Mali 67-70. A good record for upcoming Guinea that went into the Basketball coolers for 16 years before now becoming a threat to the African super powers in Basketball.
Former African Champions, Nigeria in the same August, beat Madagascar 77-69 on 13th, beat Tunisia 87-66 on 15th; tamed the Cameroonian Indomitable Lions 99-90 on 17th but bowed to the Senegalese Lions 75-91 on 20th.
Guinea’s record is no match to that of Nigeria as had no achievement at world basketball games; Olympics Games or even African Games but appeared at the Afro Basketball event finals six times with a best performance of 4th at the Cairo finals of 1962 and a loss at the quarterfinals placing 8th at Rwanda 2021.
Nigeria is well placed on the world Basketball map appearing at the Olympic Games thrice and world cup also thrice but winning no medal at nay appearance. She appeared 20 times at Afro Basketball event finals won Gold in 2015; won Silver four times in 1997, 1999, 2003 and 2017 also getting the Bronze thrice in 1995, 2005 and 2011. Nigeria made eight appearances at the African Games winning Gold in 2011 and bagging the Bronze five times in 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2017.
Tomorrow at 2000 hours Nigeria will slug it out with Rwanda while Guinea will try to out dunk Tunisia in a herculean task.
In July next year, Nigeria will open her qualification campaign against Tunisia on 2nd, Play Guinea on the 3rd and on 5th try out Rwanda.
Same July next year, Guinea will meet Rwanda on 2nd, try dribble runs against Nigeria on 3rd and on the 5th play Tunisia.
. Credit: Patmos Media Line