FIBA Africa Qualifiers: Nigeria Under-16 Boys dominate Cote d'Ivoire in opening game

The Nigerian National Under 16 Boys Team showcased their prowess in a resounding victory during the inaugural match of the 2023 FIBA Africa Under 16 Zone 3 qualifiers at the Eden Heights Sports Complex.

With an impressive performance, Nigeria triumphed over Cote D'Ivoire with a scoreline of 67-38 on the tournament's first day. The competition, spanning three days, commenced today and is scheduled to conclude on Saturday, June 24.

Although Cote D'Ivoire remained within striking distance, trailing 21-31 at halftime, they fell significantly behind during the fourth quarter. Nigeria's trio of Eric Cheerish, Babatunde Abdul Samad, and Abraham Sambo found their shooting touch, particularly from beyond the arc, effectively overpowering the Ivorian team.

With this victory, Nigeria has positioned itself strongly for the highly anticipated encounter against Ghana in the Boys' division, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday. In a parallel event, Ghana's female team is set to face Nigeria on Friday, June 23 at 14:00 GMT.

The Ghana Basketball Association (GBBA) sent a prominent delegation led by Association President Ato Van-Ess to witness the game, with both the Girls' and Boys' Teams representing Ghana. Additionally, former NBA player Pops Mensah-Bonsu was also in attendance as a spectator.

During the post-game press conference, Nigeria's head coach, Humphrey Onyanabo, credited his team's thorough preparation as the key factor behind their victory. He stated, "I believe we were better prepared now compared to 2019 because back then, we didn't have any preparations. However, this time around, we underwent extensive and effective training."

On the other hand, Cote D'Ivoire's head coach, N'Gardinga Eloi, acknowledged that his team made numerous mistakes leading to their defeat.