AFter shocking Croatia 90-76 to record its first win in the basketball event of the Rio Olympics, the Nigerian male team, D’Tigers, will take on Brazil today in a must-win game to brighten their chance of moving to the second round.
While hoping that results in other games favour them, D’Tigers will strategise to inflict another defeat on the host who lost to South American rivals, Argentina 111-107 in double overtime. The Brazilians also need to win the game but would meet a resilient Nigerian team that is full of confidence after beating Croatia.
After a disappointing first game defeat to Argentina, stepped up their game in subsequent matches, but narrowly lost to Lithuania and Spain.
However, they came back with a bang and outscored the Croatians 22-11 in the second to take a 43-39 half-time lead, despite going behind 28-21 at the end of the first half. Shooting from all cylinders, Michael Umeh hit 5-of-8 three-pointers for 16 points first half points. Nigeria’s impressive shooting from long range continued in the third quarter as they hit 4-of-7 attempts and saw their lead reach 50-35 when team captain, Ike Diogu connected from beyond the arc.
An 8-0 run spanning the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth enabled Croatia to cut the deficit to single digits, 70-61. They would get within 74-71 on a Bojan Bogdanovic free-throw with 4:14 left to play but down the stretch Josh Akognon and Ebi Ere hit clutch three-pointers to secure the impressive win.
