FIBA U-18 Afrobasket: Nigeria defeats Angola 70-65 in opener

Nigeria's youth men's basketball team finally had action on the court.

The team recorded a 70-65 victory against Angola in their opening group game of the 2024 FIBA U-18 Afrobasket tournament in South Africa.

The team had issues before the start of the tournament.

According to several reports, there were visa issues for the Nigerians by the South African embassy.

They however overcame them in time to participate at the tournament.

After their female counterparts destroyed, Zimbabwe 107-30 in their own opener, it was time for the male team to get busy.

They had to overcome adversity to win against Angola in a packed arena.

Down 10 points, they rallied back to get a five-point victory.

The star of the show for Nigeria was youngster Azeez Olaitan Sulaimon.

He recorded 20 points, seven rebounds, and 10 steals to guide Nigeria to victory.

The Nigerians still have a lot of work to do if they are to qualify for the FIBA U-19 World Cup next year.