Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, will look to continue their flawless run at the 2025 AfroBasket when they lock horns with familiar foes, the Teranga Lions of Senegal, in Wednesday’s quarter-final clash at the Pavilhão Multiusos de Luanda, Angola.
Coach Mohammed Abdulrahman’s side have been one of the most impressive teams in the tournament so far, topping Group B with maximum points from three games. They began their campaign with a comfortable 77-59 victory over Madagascar, stunned defending champions Tunisia 87-66, and closed the group stage with a thrilling 99-90 win over Cameroon.
“Our identity is to play good defence and then run,” Abdulrahman explained ahead of the encounter. “We are not the biggest team, but we use our quickness to choke opponents defensively, force turnovers, and create easy baskets. That’s our style.”
Senegal’s journey to the last eight has been less straightforward. After starting strong with an 88-53 win over Uganda, they stumbled against Egypt in a 91-77 loss before regrouping to beat Mali 80-70. With two wins not enough to guarantee an automatic spot, the Lions had to fight through the playoff round, where they dispatched South Sudan 78-65 to set up a showdown with Nigeria.
Nigeria and Senegal share a long-standing rivalry at AfroBasket, having faced each other eight times. The 2015 champions D’Tigers hold the upper hand with five victories, while Senegal with three.
Nigeria won the first meeting 80-65 at AfroBasket 2001 and followed up with another triumph in the 2009 semi-finals. The Lions struck back in 2013, edging Nigeria 64-63 in the quarter-finals, but D’Tigers responded with back-to-back wins in the semi-finals of 2015 and 2017.
The rivalry extended beyond AfroBasket. In World Cup qualifiers, Nigeria beat Senegal 89-61 in September 2018, before the Lions responded with an 84-63 win in February 2019. Their most recent meeting came at the Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Lagos, where Senegal prevailed 93-87.
For Nigeria, Houston Rockets guard Josh Okogie leads the charge, supported by co-captains Ike Nwamu and veteran Stan Okoye—the only surviving member of Nigeria’s 2015 title-winning team. Caleb Agada has also been instrumental, while the bench unit has stepped up when called upon.
Senegal, meanwhile, will rely heavily on captain Brancou Badio, who poured in 31 points against South Sudan. Playmaker Jean Jacques Boissy adds creativity, while Ibrahim Faye provides a strong inside presence.
With history, pride, and a semi-final ticket on the line, tonight’s clash promises fireworks. For D’Tigers, victory keeps their dream of a second AfroBasket crown alive. For Senegal, it is another chance to tilt the balance in a rivalry that has defined West African basketball for decades.
