Rwanda suffered a heavy 106-62 defeat to Nigeria’s D Tigers in their third and final Group C game of the 2027 FIBA World Cup African Qualifiers which concluded in Luanda, Angola, on Sunday, July 5. The loss, their sixth in a row across two windows, meant that Yves Murenzi’s side finished the third qualifying window without a win. Nigeria produced a dominant display from the opening tip, securing a flawless qualifying window and booking a place in the second round of the qualifiers. The 44-point victory was the largest winning margin recorded at this stage of the campaign. Caleb Agada and Ike Iroegbu set the tone early, combining for three three-pointers in the opening minute as Nigeria raced into an early lead and eventually stretched the advantage to as many as 46 points. Nigeria maintained its intensity throughout the contest, excelling at both ends of the floor by scoring freely while limiting Rwanda's offensive production. The victory capped an impressive window for Nigeria, who also edged group leaders Guinea 80-79 before defeating Tunisia 84-81 to complete a perfect 3-0 run. Speaking after the game, Nigeria's Okoye, one of the few players who also featured during the first qualifying window in Tunisia last November, said the team's low ranking served as a motivation. Looking at the rankings gave us motivation to turn things around, he said.
