Senegalese Lions ferociously declaw DTigers in 2025 AfroBasket Quarterfinals

A dominant Senegalese performance proved too much for Nigeria, as the Lions cruised to a 91-75 victory in their AfroBasket quarterfinal clash in Angola.

The much-anticipated West African derby began with high energy, living up to expectations early on. Both teams traded baskets in a tightly contested first quarter, with Nigeria edging ahead 24-23 by the buzzer. At that point, a semifinal berth seemed within reach—provided the Nigerians could maintain their momentum.

But that momentum was quickly derailed. Senegal stormed into the second quarter with a burst of energy, launching a 6-0 run that shifted the tide decisively in their favor. Jean-Jacques Boissy set the tone with a quick three-pointer to reclaim the lead, followed moments later by another from Amar Sylla. From there, Senegal never looked back.

Brancou Badio was virtually unstoppable, pouring in a game-high 32 points. Boissy, a key figure throughout Senegal’s campaign, added 21 points off the bench and connected on 5-of-10 from beyond the arc.

The Lions outscored Nigeria 30-18 in the second quarter, taking a commanding 53-42 lead into halftime. From that point on, they controlled the tempo and dictated the game, with Nigeria unable to mount a meaningful response.

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Despite a spirited second-half push, Nigeria couldn’t overcome Senegal’s composure and experience, as the Lions secured their place in a fifth consecutive AfroBasket semifinal.

So much for perfect records—Nigeria’s flawless 3-0 run in the group stage was quickly forgotten against Senegal’s commanding presence in the paint. The Lions dominated the boards, out-rebounding Nigeria 53-35, a decisive factor in their 91-75 quarterfinal victory.

Senegal's physicality and tournament experience were clear, especially in high-pressure moments. With this win, they advance to face Mali in the semifinals—a rematch of their earlier group-stage encounter, which Senegal won 80-70.

Ike Nwamu and Stan Okoye combined for 29 points in the loss, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide. Nigeria will now look to regroup, with eyes set on the upcoming FIBA World Cup qualifiers.

After the game, team captain Stan Okoye expressed his disappointment, saying the loss was "tough to swallow" and emphasized the need to bounce back stronger.

"It hurts. We had high hopes; we had a really good group, fun group, we all love each other, but it's part of the game, one team has to win, another team has to lose. It was not our day today. They came out with more energy, We were kind of flat to start. They are a really good team; they lost a lot of high level players, it was their night tonight."

Coach Mohamed of Nigeria was obviously very disappointed with the outcome.

"In a night we were supposed to bring out A-game we felt short. I am not taking any credit away from Senegal, they deserve the win. I am proud of how we played. We have an identity now and we are just moving from it."