Victor Eze, the captain of the Nigerian basketball team, played a crucial role in reigniting Nigeria’s bid to qualify for the 2023 FIBA AfroCan tournament.
His outstanding performance included scoring 21 points, providing 2 assists, and making 2 steals, resulting in a commendable +22 efficiency rating. Eze’s teammate, Ibe Abuchi Agu, also made significant contributions with 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals.
Following their victory, head coach Ogo Odaudu expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance. He stated, “It was a good day for us. We played much better than we did against Guinea. The loss to Guinea was painful; it was a game we should have won.
However, the players have been improving with each passing day. Our performance against Benin was a testament to that. Moving forward, we will continue working on the team’s cohesion to secure a win against Cote D’Ivoire.”
Despite a valiant effort from Benin’s Vivien Cocouvi Tossou and Soulémane Chabi Yo, who scored 14 and 13 points respectively, their contributions were insufficient to overcome Nigeria.
Although Benin initially took the lead in the first quarter with a score of 15-10, Nigeria rallied in the subsequent quarters to secure the victory.
Romaric Quenum, a member of the Benin team, attributed their loss to the lack of experience among some players making their international debut for the country.
Quenum acknowledged the mistakes made during the game against Nigeria, particularly the premature celebration after their first-quarter lead. However, he empathized with his teammates, recognizing that it was their first exposure to such a high-stakes tournament.
Quenum emphasized the importance of learning from these experiences and implementing necessary corrections for future competitions.
The Nigerian team’s triumph over Benin not only revived their qualifying hopes for the 2023 FIBA AfroCan but also demonstrated their determination and resilience.
With their continued improvement and strategic preparations, Nigeria aims to emerge victorious in their upcoming match against Cote D’Ivoire.
