Sports
Stakeholders Hail D’Tigers Victory At Four-Nation Tourney
Some Nigerian basketball
stakeholders have commended the performance of the senior national men’s team at a four-nation challenge event which ended on Sunday in South Africa.
The D’Tigers emerged victorious at the maiden edition of the Four-Nation Invitational Tournament after defeating Kenya, Mozambique and hosts South Africa.
Led by coach Sani Ahmed, D’Tigers defeated South Africa 97-58 in their first game on Friday, Kenya, 83-52 and Mozambique 51-42 on Saturday.
In the final match on Sunday, D’Tigers outclassed Mozambique in their second meeting by recording a 72-59 win to lift the trophy.
The stakeholders told newsmen in separate interviews that more of such competitions would help the team’s home-based talents garner experience.
The Akofa Ivy Junior League Co-ordinator, Abimbola Faniran, said the victory by the D’Tigers which featured mostly players from the DStv Premier League was a good development for Nigerian basketball.
“I’m pleased with the outing of our players. They showed good quality and proved their capabilities.
“The competition will contribute a lot to our ratings and also earn a lot of respect for our national league.
“We also have to praise the leadership of Olumide Oyedeji, the team captain, who was outstanding in the tournament and who led the team with his vast experience to win the trophy.
“We hope for more of such tournaments, because it will go far to help our players and help the domestic league to be recognised on the continent,” Faniran said.
The Assistant Coach of Mark Mentors of Abuja, Dauda Adeka, said it was a great achievement for the D’Tigers and a victory for the entire basketball family in Nigeria.
“We are very excited about this. Our boys did well and once again put our name in a position to be seen as a force to reckon with on the continent.
“We want more competitions of this nature, so that we can showcase the quality of our league,” Adeka said.
The Head Coach of Police Baton, Mark Balogun, in his reaction, said the D’Tigers performance was a good development in the right direction of rebuilding the national team.
“It’s a great development for our basketball, especially our home-based league players. We need to give them more of this exposure to build their confidence.
“When they are involved in numerous invitational tournaments, they will be able to master their acts and several techniques properly.
“Because this is the essential ingredient to developing players into world-class status, we urge the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) to look out for more tournaments of this nature.
“Because if players are involved in more playing games, they will have more time to practise and perfect strategies and the necessary skills to become world-class players,” Balogun said.
Gialuigui Donnarumma (Italy and Man City)
One of the greatest strikers of the past 15 years, Poland’s Robert Lewandowski, is among the big names who will not be playing at the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico.
The 37-year-old Barcelona striker, who has scored 89 goals for his country, was not able to inspire his side as they lost 3-2 in Stockholm against Sweden in Tuesday’s play-off final.
Lewandowski, who won the German Bundesliga title on 10 occasions, twice with Borussia Dortmund and then in eight successive seasons with Bayern Munich, before winning La Liga twice with Barca, may have played in his last major international tournament.
Lewandowski captained Poland at the World Cup in 2018, but did not score in Russia as his country came bottom of the group. He had a better tournament four years later in Qatar, scoring twice as Poland reached the last 16 before losing to France.
He netted four times in Group G in 2026 qualifying only for Poland to finish three points behind the Netherlands, before losing to Sweden on Tuesday.
Gialuigui Donnarumma (Italy and Man City)
Another star that will be missing in action at the mundial is Gialuigui Donnarumma of Italy.
Italy lost in the World Cup play-offs for a third successive qualifying tournament
Gianluigi Donnarumma has been one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League this season since he moved from Paris St-Germain for £26m in September, after helping the French club win the Champions League last season.
Despite being player of the tournament as Italy won the 2020 European Championship, he misses out on a World Cup again after Italy lost 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday.
Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund and Guinea)
Serhou Guirassy is Fourth in the list of Bundesliga top scorers this season
Serhou Guirassy has established himself as one of most prolific strikers playing in Europe, with 62 goals in the German Bundesliga over the past three seasons, while no player scored more than his 13 goals in the Champions League in 2024-25.
But he will not be at the World Cup as his country Guinea went out in the first round of African qualifying, finishing fourth in their group, with only four wins and three draws from their 10 matches.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia and PSG)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia helped Paris St-Germain become European champions last season, scoring in the 5-0 final win over Inter Milan, and he came 12th in the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards.
But Georgia had a miserable campaign in World Cup qualifying as they only picked up three points from a group that contained Spain, Turkey and Bulgaria.
Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray and Nigeria)
Victor Osimhen has scored 26 goals for club and country this season
Victor Osimhen helped Napoli win Serie A in 2023 before moving to Galatasaray, where he grabbed 26 goals in 30 games to take them to the Turkish title last season.
Nigeria drew five of their 10 matches in the first group phase as they finished one point behind winners South Africa, but then had a second chance in the following play-off.
With Osimhen already substituted, Nigeria lost on penalties to DR Congo to miss out on the World Cup.
Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool and Hungary)
Dominik Szoboszlai has scored 12 goals for Liverpool this season
Liverpool and Hungary midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has impressed this season and scored some stunning long-range goals.
But he will not be at the World Cup after his country let a 2-1 lead slip in their final group game with the Republic of Ireland scoring twice in injury time to clinch a spot in the play-offs and eliminate Hungary.
Female wrestlers in action at Governor Diri Wrestling Classics.
Ondo State wrestlers dominated the women’s events on Day six of the fourth Governor Douye Diri Wrestling Classics in Yenagoa on Monday, claiming gold medals in two of the four women’s freestyle categories.
African champion Khadijat Idris of Ondo State led the charge in the 55kg division, defeating rising talent Mary Ayeloh of Bayelsa State by technical superiority to claim gold. Happiness Soso of Delta State and Augustine Rhoda of Lagos State took bronze medals in the category.
Damola Ojo also flew the Ondo flag proudly in the 76kg event, retaining her title after defeating all opponents in a round-robin format. Nigeria Army wrestler Laide Ojo settled for silver, while Juliet Ogo of Bayelsa State and Mercy Alison of Abia State each claimed bronze.
In the 62kg category, Patience Kakanda of Bayelsa State produced the upset of the day, defeating Nigeria Army’s Precious Tieberi 3-1 in the final to be crowned the new champion. Isioma Abojei of Delta State and Blessing Apah of Dynamite Club won bronze medals.
Rivers State’s Esther Asaolu also retained her title in the 59kg division, overcoming all her opponents in the round-robin format, with Patience Opuene of Bayelsa State finishing as runner-up.
In the men’s events, Solomon Ulabo of Bayelsa State claimed gold in the 79kg category, with Kpum Ayibasisei of Edo State taking silver and Rasheed Saliu of Ondo State and Ebisindei Okorie of Dynamite Club winning bronze. NewLife Ebikeme of Bayelsa State won the 92kg gold, ahead of Perezidei Obaze of Edo State in silver position, while Tobechukwu Udeh of the Nigeria Army and Timilehin Adekanmi of Ondo State claimed bronze medals.
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