D’Tigers of Nigeria blew an 11-point lead from the third quarter in a game they needed to win, losing 99-92 against Germany in the men’s basketball event at the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
After losing its first game to Australia, D’Tigers came into the game needing a win to boost their chances of progressing in the competition. In the first quarter, D’Tigers found themselves behind by 14 points. However, the Nigerians managed to get back into the game.
Neither team wanted a second successive defeat, and it showed with how they traded shots, going into the break all tied at 50-50. Nigeria had a good run through Jordan Nwora, he was literally the best player on the court, pulling off a sequence of good 3-point shots that saw him finish with a game high 33 points.
Nwora had a shooting accuracy of 58% from his outside shots, converting 7/12 of his attempted shots. Nwora’s shooting range helped his team, but somehow it played a part in their undoing when the Germans shut him out, and they couldn’t devise another means to get back in the game.
Nigeria’s Miye Oni was the other D’Tigers player to finish with double digits, recording 15 points. The Germans had four players on double figures with Johannes Voightman finishing with 19 points.
Germany played an efficient 4th quarter, closing out the game to beat Nigeria 99-92, and gifting themselves a shot at qualification for the quarterfinals of men’s Basketball event.
For how hard they fought to get back a 14-point deficit in the first quarter, the Nigerians will beat themselves up after they showed determination and strength to get back into the game.
D’Tigers went up by 11 points in the 3rd quarter, but fell apart when they needed to show composure and close out the game.
If Nigeria is to somehow secure qualification to the last eight, they will have to hope results go their way in the game between Australia and Italy, and then beat Italy in their last group game to stand a chance of progressing.
