Nigeria suffers a heartbreaking fourth-quarter comeback loss to Mali.
The Nigeria men’s national basketball team fell 68-77 to Mali in their 2023 FIBA Olympic Qualifier at the Eko Convention Center in Lagos, Nigeria, on Saturday.
Uche Iheogbu (26 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists) and Daniel Utomi (16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists) had standout performances, but a fourth-quarter lapse in concentration cost them the game. They lost the rebounding battle 39-49, including 17 offensive rebounds. Their 15 turnovers also contributed to the loss.메이저사이트
Suwon KT’s new foreign player Michael Eric played 17 minutes and 40 seconds, recording three points, five rebounds, and two blocked shots. While he was an active rebounder and had two blocked shots and was a presence on defense, he was completely ineffective on offense. He shot three free throws, making only one, and didn’t have any big moments.
Eric had a blocked shot and a blocked shot in the opening minutes of the game to keep Mali’s offense at bay. He didn’t do much after that, though, and was sent to the bench midway through the first quarter. He came back into the game midway through the second quarter and scored his first points, hitting one of two free throws after being fouled by his opponent. At the end of the half, he again blocked a Marley shot and followed it up with a layup.
In the second half, Eric continued to work his way up the court and grabbed a rebound. He tried to add another point with a mid-range shot, but it missed the rim. In the fourth quarter, he was forced to sit on the bench and watch his country come from behind.
After losing to Senegal and then Mali on Friday, Nigeria ended their Olympic qualifying campaign with two losses. They finished at the bottom of Group A and failed to qualify for Paris 2024.
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