Cote d’Ivoire trounced NIgeria’s D’Tigers in their opening FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 African Qualifiers second round game in Abidjan on Friday night at the Palais des Sports de Treichville.
The ‘Les Elephants’ of Cote d’Ivoire were outstanding all through the encounter bringing D’Tigers’ nine game unbeaten run in the Group F qualifiers to an end.
Ivory Coast, who still have an outsider’s chance of securing a ticket for the 2019 World Cup in China struck D’Tigers with a humiliating 76-42 victory.
The Nigerian side, although had qualified with a 9-0 record, struggled to get shots away; shooting 36% from 2pts a meager 4% from 3pts and won 14 rebounds less than the hosts.
Only Ike Diogu managed to register double digits; scoring 10points, with 8 coming from the charity strip, with a game high percentage of 80%.
However, he shot 1-12 in field goals in 26:38 minutes on the floor.
Head Coach of D’Tigers Alex Nwora had promised his team would keep their focus and not slack off despite having picked a world cup ticket, but the Ivoriens knocked the wind from their sails and ends the last unbeaten run in the Africa zone qualifiers.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
