Agada says D’Tigers need to step up against Cape Verde

D’Tigers point guard Caleb Agada has admitted that Nigeria did not play well during their 82-79 loss to South Sudan. He believes there is still a chance to improve as the team fights to keep their hopes alive for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification.

Nigeria faced their second straight loss in the current qualifying window on Friday. This followed a 78-62 defeat to Cameroon on Thursday. David Fizdale’s team is now under pressure ahead of their last game against Cape Verde.

Agada pointed out that D’Tigers struggled to keep the energy and intensity needed to win against a South Sudan team that started strong and held on to their lead at the end.

"We lacked the energy to stay in the game," Agada said. "We were not ourselves for most of the game."

South Sudan jumped to a 30-19 lead after the first quarter. Nigeria managed to fight back into the game. D’Tigers even took control in the third quarter but the Bright Stars fought back to win by three points. This defeat hurt, especially as Nigeria had a chance to tie the game. Chimezie Metu and Josh Okogie both missed three-point shots that could have sent the game into overtime.

Agada did not blame the result on anything else. He praised South Sudan for how they played. He also gave credit to Cameroon for their effort after Thursday’s loss.

Marial Shayok from South Sudan was the top scorer with 19 points. Carlik Jones added 11 points, 12 assists, and eight rebounds, helping the Bright Stars stay among the leading teams in Group E. Nigeria was led by Chima Moneke with 16 points, while Chimezie Metu scored 17 points and Josh Okogie added 14 points and eight rebounds.

"We will continue to work on improving our game," Agada said.

"There is room for improvement, and we will get better."

D’Tigers came into this window with a 4-2 record but have now dropped to 4-4 after two losses to Cameroon and South Sudan. They are currently fifth in Group E. The top two teams will qualify automatically for the 2027 Basketball World Cup, and the best third-placed team from both groups will also get a spot.

Nigeria cannot afford another bad performance when they face Cape Verde on Sunday. Cape Verde is in sixth place in the group with a 3-5 record. This match promises to be another high-pressure situation for both teams.