AfroBasket - Injury-hit Nigeria and impressive Cameroon mark AfroBasket Day 4
ABIDJAN (AfroBasket/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Nigeria overcame losing key players for the remainder of AfroBasket 2013 to beat the Republic of Congo 92-76 on Friday to secure their second win of Group D and remain on the right track to clinch one of the three places available for African teams for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup. The Nigerians will ...
ABIDJAN (AfroBasket/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Nigeria overcame losing key players for the remainder of AfroBasket 2013 to beat the Republic of Congo 92-76 on Friday to secure their second win of Group D and remain on the right track to clinch one of the three places available for African teams for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
The Nigerians will be without Chamberlain Oguchi - who had yet to play in Abidjan - and Richard Oruche as both were officially ruled out of the tournament through injury, while Stanley Okoye is under medical supervision.
The win, however, did not come cheap, as the Congolese were superb from the arc, exposing gaps in Nigeria's defense.
They got 45 of their 76 points on 15 three-pointers, with Giovan Oniangue accounting for five makes from long range on his way to a team-high 19 points.
Nigeria appeared worryingly sloppy as they turned the ball over 26 times.
In the second game of Group D and the last played on Day 4, Cameroon demolished Mali 89-35 thanks to a suffocating full-court defensive pressure that forced their opponents into scoring only six points in each of the first two quarters and five in the third.
On Sunday, Mali will take on Republic of Congo while Cameroon and Nigeria will square off for the top place of Group D.
In Friday's opening game, Morocco demolished Rwanda 87-57 as three of their players scored in double digits.
Kenneth Gasana - who last played for Moroccan club Sport Plazza Casablanca - and Cameron Bradley combined for 37 points.
With two games played in Group B, Morocco remained second behind defending champions Tunisia, who had the biggest margin of victory on the day as they trounced debutants Burkina Faso 100-45.
Despite Burkina Faso's modest showing, their fans never stopped drumming, singing and celebrate each point scored or even one of their two block shots.
For full and in-depth coverage of AfroBasket 2013, go to the official website http://abidjan2013.fibaafrica.com/.
FIBA