A newspaper in Libya, the Libya Akhbar has lamented the defeat of the national team by Nigeria in the AfroBasket qualifiers. Reporting the D’Tigers’ 75-70 win on Friday night, Libya Akhbar writes:

 In a sporting evening marked by feelings of frustration and disappointment, the Libyan basketball team lost to its Nigerian counterpart with a score of (75-70) in the African qualifiers for the 2025 African Basketball Cup, scheduled to be held in Angola next August.

A match marked by excitement and dramatic twists until the last moments, but it ended with a heavy Libyan shock.

The Libyan team entered the match with a clear determination to prove itself against a strong opponent like  Nigeria.

From the first moments, the features of a well-thought-out plan based on quick passes and tight defence appeared.

Despite falling behind at times, the Libyan team was able to stay in the atmosphere of the match, which gave the fans hope for a happy surprise

At the start of the fourth period, the Libyan team seemed capable of making a strong comeback.

The small difference in points provided a golden opportunity to equalize, and perhaps even win. The Libyan fans, who followed the match with passion, lived moments of excitement with every successful shot and every heroic defensive attempt.

However, the final minutes witnessed a sudden collapse in concentration, caused by repeated defensive errors and the players’ failure to capitalize on crucial scoring opportunities.

Nigeria, for its part, exploited these gaps and extended its lead, snatching victory at the critical moments.

Despite the strong performance of the Libyan team, the final result was a painful slap in the face.

After the match, the Libyan coach made statements that summed up the team’s feelings: “We took the lead at the crucial moments but lacked focus.” A statement that reflects disappointment but also hints at hope for improvement.

“We were close to a draw, but our defensive mistakes cost us the game,” said one of the team’s players.

The team captain stressed that “the defeat is painful, but it is not the end of the road. We must quickly correct our mistakes to stay in the race to qualify.”

With this loss, Libya’s tally froze at six points, while Nigeria’s tally rose to five points.

This match was a golden opportunity for Libya to top Group Two, tied with Cape Verde, but the defeat dashed these hopes.

In the same group, the qualifiers witnessed Uganda’s victory over Cape Verde (63-60), which further complicated the competition scene.

Libya’s chances now depend on the performance of the other teams and the need to achieve victories in the upcoming matches.

While Libya struggled, other Arab teams performed well. In Group D, Egypt secured a thrilling win over the Central African Republic (75-71), after a game that saw dramatic changes in the score.

Despite falling behind in the early stages, Egypt came back strongly to win the match.

As for the Tunisian team, it won its match against Kenya without much effort, after Kenya was absent from the match, so the victory was considered (20-0), which gave Tunisia the lead in Group Five with a full score.

Libya’s defeat to Nigeria revealed the strengths and weaknesses within the team. The ability to keep up with a strong team like Nigeria until the last moments is evidence of great potential, but the lack of focus at crucial times is a warning bell.

If the Libyan team wants to stay in the competition, it must address these gaps and work on enhancing its fighting spirit and self-confidence. The qualifiers are not over yet, and there is still a chance to return strongly.

Despite the defeat, there is still hope. Basketball is a game of chances and last seconds, and what happened in the Nigeria match should be an incentive for Libya to return stronger and more determined.

The Libyan fans, despite the bitterness, are still waiting for the moment of joy and victory that may come soon if the team learns the lessons of this harsh defeat.

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Uncharacteristically bottom of the standings with three points, Nigeria’s D’Tigers picked up their first win in a mini-tournament in Tripoli, defeating hosts to revive their hopes of qualifying for the continental showpiece that will hold in Angola.

A 75-70 comeback win for Abdulrahman Mohammed’s Nigeria over Group B hosts Libya revived qualification hopes for the highly ranked West Africans, who find themselves in unfamiliar territory at the bottom of the standings.

Nigeria had a window to forget in February 2024, going winless after losses to Cape Verde, Libya and Uganda.

In the opening game, Libya stunned Nigeria 89-82 to announce their return to competitive African basketball.

Libya led 35-32 at half-time, but their joy was short-lived as Nigeria came back to take the lead in the third quarter with a 20-16 victory.

Fouad Bou Chakra’s Libya were clinical with the ball, turning it over just six times while punishing Nigeria’s 18 for 24. The North Africans dominated the paint 40-28, but it was not enough to see them through.

Caleb Agada led the new-look D’Tigers with a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds.

The win leaves Nigeria on five points, one behind Libya and Uganda, who are tied on points.

In another match of the day, Robinson Opong led his Uganda Silverbacks to a crucial 63-60 win over Group B favourites Cape Verde to move closer to securing a place at the 2025 AfroBasket.

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Nigeria’s basketball men’s team, D’Tigers, on Friday, overcame Libya in Tripoli in their opening match of the Group B AfroBasket 2025 qualifiers.

The Nigerian team won 75-70 after coming back from a 15-14 first-quarter loss.

The Libyans again took the second quarter with a 20-18 win before the Nigerian side bounced back by taking the third quarter with a 20-16 win.

They then wrap it up with a win of 23-19 to win overall 75-70.

The Nigeria side will on Saturday take on Uganda in another Group B encounter.

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