Junior D’Tigers Qualify for 2026 FIBA U-18 AfroBasket

The Nigeria U-18 men's basketball team, known as Junior D’Tigers, has successfully qualified for the 2026 FIBA U-18 AfroBasket Championship by completing an unbeaten run in the FIBA Africa Zone 3 qualifiers held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The team emerged as Zone 3 champions, winning all four matches to secure an automatic ticket to the continental championship scheduled to take place in Ivory Coast from August 3 to 16.

The Junior D’Tigers achieved a commanding 100-54 victory against the host team, Burkina Faso, and had earlier defeated Benin with scores of 96-35 and 101-43. The tournament featured Nigeria, Benin, and Burkina Faso, while Liberia withdrew before the competition began.

Bukola Olopade, the Director General of the National Sports Commission, congratulated the players for their outstanding performance and urged continued talent development. Musa Kida, the President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, praised the team's dominant display and attributed their success to collective efforts and grassroots development initiatives.