UGANDA ended Nigeria’s attempt at claiming the 2021 African Basketball Championship (AfroBasket) crown with a surprising 80-62 win at the Kigali Arena, Rwanda.
On the back of a disappointing run at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where D’Tigers – Nigeria’s Senior Men’s Basketball team – finished 10th, a different team was fielded in an attempt to claim the African basketball throne. Coach Mike Brown led the Nigerian warriors to wins against Mali and Kenya in the group stage where D’Tigers looked in fine form – replicating that of their undefeated string of qualifying games.
Uganda picked the pace up in every game, after losing their opening game, and chemistry seemed to come together against Nigeria.
Close affair in the early stages. Uganda increased the intensity mid-way through the second with key defensive plays and great rebounding. The substitution of Robinson Opong lit a fire for Uganda as they stretched their lead to 18-6 with four minutes remaining.
Defensively, Uganda were an iron wall, refusing to let Nigeria penetrate at will and enforcing their territory at the rim. D’Tigers started the second quarter with intent and kept the scoreboard ticking on, guards Ikenna Ndugba and Stephen Domingo chipping away at Uganda’s mammoth 20-point lead.
Nigeria started the third quarter much like the second, but Uganda proved they were not to be trifled with. Nigeria gained some traction, getting to the free throw line and improving their rebounding presence, as the lead shrunk down to single digits. As the quarter continued Uganda refined their defense, refusing to let up and securing their near 20-point cushion. Opong knocked down two huge three-point shots to rally the energy on Uganda’s bench towards the conclusion of the third quarter.
Opong and Ishmail Wainwright tightening up loose ends on the defensive end in an effort to secure the win.
Forward Arthur Kaluma was sure to have a say in the tide of the game on both ends, made three point shots on the offensive end and blocking shots defensively. Opong rose the occasion of playing the 2015 AfroBasket champions – closing out the game with a magnificent three-point shot to take his tally up to 19 for the game.
Wainwright and Kaluma ended the fixture with 11 points a piece, Wainwright adding in 11 rebounds and 6 assists.
Nigeria were led by Uzodinma Utomi, who scored 23 points along with 3 rebounds and 2 assists.
The East Africans will move to the quarter-finals where they are matched up with Cape Verde.
Quarter-finals
September 1st:
Cote D’Ivoire vs Guinea (Game 29)
Senegal vs Angola (Game 30)
September 2nd:
Tunisia vs South Sudan (Game 32)
Cape Verde vs Uganda (Game 31)
