Agada admits D’Tigers must improve against Cape Verde

D’Tigers point guard, Caleb Agada, has admitted that Nigeria were not at their best during their 82-79 defeat to South Sudan, but insists there is still room for improvement as the team battles to keep its 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification hopes alive.

Nigeria suffered their second consecutive defeat in the current qualifying window on Friday, following Thursday’s 78-62 loss to Cameroon, leaving David Fizdale’s side under significant pressure ahead of their final game against Cape Verde.

Agada acknowledged that D’Tigers struggled to maintain the energy and intensity required to overcome a South Sudan side that made a fast start and held its nerve in the closing stages.

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

South Sudan raced into a 30-19 lead after the opening quarter before Nigeria fought their way back into the contest. D’Tigers eventually turned the game around during the third quarter, but the Bright Stars responded strongly to secure a three-point victory. The defeat was particularly painful, as Nigeria pushed the game to the final moments, with Chimezie Metu and Josh Okogie both missing three-point attempts that could have sent the contest into overtime.

Agada refused to use the result as an excuse, instead praising South Sudan for their approach to the game, having also credited Cameroon for their work rate and energy after Thursday’s defeat.

South Sudan’s Marial Shayok led all scorers with 19 points, while Carlik Jones produced 11 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds as the Bright Stars maintained their position among the leading teams in Group E. Nigeria were led by Chima Moneke, who finished with 16 points, while Chimezie Metu contributed 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 entered the current window with a 4-2 record but have slipped to 4-4 following the consecutive defeats to Cameroon and South Sudan, leaving them fifth in Group E, where the top two teams qualify automatically for the 2027 Basketball World Cup, and the best third-placed team across both groups also earns a ticket.

Nigeria cannot afford another poor performance when they face Cape Verde, who are sixth in the group with a 3-5 record, on Sunday, in what promises to be another high-pressure encounter for both sides.