AfroBasket roundup: Defending champs Tunisia suffer 2nd straight loss

NAIROBI, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Tunisia's hope for a three-peat at AfroBasket dived on Friday, as the defending champions suffered a second straight loss, this time at the hands of 2015 title winner Nigeria.

On the fourth day of the 31st AfroBasket tournament, Pavilhao Multiusos de Luanda in Angola saw ferocious D'Tigers storm to a 10-0 lead in under three minutes, prompting Tunisia to call an early timeout.

The pause had little impact on Nigeria, as the sixth-ranked team in Africa continued to outpace Tunisia in nearly every major statistical category, including three-pointers, rebounds, and assists. The only exception was a four-point deficit in points scored in the paint.

NBA Houston Rockets player Josh Okogie added a game-high 33 points to the scoreboard, along with six defensive rebounds, a performance that the 1.93-meter guard attributed to the support of his Nigerian teammates.

"If they don't set those screens, if they don't run the plays right, if they don't pass me the ball ... they are the ones who helped me to get to where I got today," said Okogie.

As the lone NBA representative on Nigeria's roster, he also mentioned having to adapt to the different rules between competitions.

"Like, the three-second rule in the paint - the spacing or the line is a little shorter. Games are a lot more physical, and the refs let a lot more go. I just adjusted to that," Okogie added.

In another Group B matchup, Madagascar found the rhythm from beyond the arc in the second half, while also forcing their opponents into frequent fouls.

Cameroon trailed 70-75 in the final quarter, but Jeremiah Hill stepped up at crunch time, powering his team to seal an 80-77 triumph.

In Group A, the Democratic Republic of Congo built a 37-24 lead in the first half. Despite tactical adjustments and increased aggression, Rwanda couldn't close the gap, falling 58-65.

Last edition's runner-up Cote d'Ivoire edged Cape Verde 82-81 with a buzzer-beater.

Cape Verde surged in the third quarter, outscoring their opponents by 15 points to take a 65-56 lead. But frequent fouls in the final quarter allowed Cote d'Ivoire to capitalize on free throws.

The match see-sawed back and forth until Assemian Moulare's jump shot at the buzzer secured Cote d'Ivoire's second consecutive victory in the group stage. ■