It’s no retreat, no surrender for Team Nasarawa as a 154-man contingent has landed in Ilorin, Kwara State, for the North Central Zonal Eliminations of the 9th National Youth Games.

The delegation, made up of athletes, coaches, sports secretaries, medical and media crew, security operatives, and top officials, left Lafia on Saturday and touched down in Ilorin with high hopes of conquering their zone.

Team Nasarawa will slug it out in five major sports—football, basketball, handball, volleyball, and hockey—against rivals from Kwara, Benue, Kogi, Plateau, Niger, and the FCT. The qualifiers are held from August 16 to 18, 2025, at the Kwara State Stadium, with the team departing on the 19th.

Director of Sports Organising, Nasarawa State Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Mallam Ubah Musa, who is leading the delegation, said the team is fired up to make the state proud.

“Our boys and girls are ready. They know what is at stake, and they will give everything to qualify for Asaba. The expectations are high from our governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, and from the good people of Nasarawa State. We won’t disappoint,” Musa assured.

Winners from the zonal eliminations will fly the North Central flag at the National Youth Games proper, scheduled for August 26 to September 6 in Asaba, Delta State. All 36 states and the FCT will compete.

Since its inception in 2013, Team Nasarawa has never missed an edition of the Games, and this year, they say it’s “all or nothing.”

Nigeria’s D’Tigers will look to seal a perfect group-stage record when they face Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions in their final Group B clash at the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket on Sunday in Luanda, The Tidesports source reports.

The game at the Pavilhao Multiusos de Luanda tips off at 5:30pm Nigerian time, with victory guaranteeing Nigeria top spot and direct passage to the quarter-finals on August 20 and defeat leaving them vulnerable to dropping into the qualification placement round a day earlier.

The D’Tigers have opened their campaign in style, brushing aside hosts Angola before overpowering reigning champions Tunisia 87-66 on Friday.

Josh Okogie was the star against Tunisia, pouring in 33 points to continue his standout tournament form.

Nigeria and Cameroon have faced off three times in AfroBasket competition since 2009, with the D’Tigers leading the head-to-head 2-1.

Their most recent meeting came in the 2017 quarter-finals, when Nigeria triumphed 106-91.

Cameroon, however, arrive in Luanda with their own ambitions. The Lions have averaged 83 points per game at the tournament so far and lead Nigeria in both rebounds (46 to 42.5) and assists (18 to 15), which underlines their capacity to test the West Africans.

A win would hand Nigeria valuable rest days before the quarter-finals, while also reinforcing their credentials as title contenders in Angola. For Cameroon, toppling the D’Tigers would not only earn first place in Group B but also provide a psychological boost ahead of the knockout stages.

Nigeria forward Devine Eke expressed delight after the team’s latest victory, but maintained that the players are keeping their focus on the bigger prize. He stressed that while the result was important, the ultimate goal is to win the championship.

Eke highlighted how the D’Tigers stuck to instructions and worked as a unit, crediting the collective effort for the team’s strong display. He pointed out that every player embraced their responsibility, which made the difference in securing the win.

“We feel good about the win. The job is not done, but I feel we can win this whole thing. We feel really good. We executed well. We followed our coach’s game plan. Everyone played their role, and if everyone continues to do that, anything is possible,” Eke said.

The 31st edition of AfroBasket, hosted by Angola for the fourth time, runs until August 24. Nigeria last won the competition in 2015, and after a strong start, belief is growing that they can mount another championship run.

Nigeria’s Ezekiel Nathaniel stole the headlines at the Silesia Diamond League meet after storming to a new national record in the men’s 400m hurdle, while Tobi Amusan and Favour Ofili both earned podium finishes in their respective events, The Tidesports source reports. .

Chukwuebuka Enekwechi also maintained his push for a spot in the season-ending finals with another consistent outing in the men’s shot put at the event.

The 12th leg of the Diamond League, held in Poland, saw Nathaniel clock 47.31s to finish second behind reigning Olympic champion and world record holder Karsten Warholm of Norway, who stormed to victory in 46.28s, a meeting record and world lead.

Nathaniel’s effort shaved time off previous best and erased the Nigerian record of 47.49s he set on June 13, 2025 in Oregon during the NCAA DI finals, but despite his fine performance he ends the Diamon League qualification campaign ranked ninth with 13 points.With only the top eight progressing, his late entry into the professional circuit, after an outstanding collegiate season in the United States, has cost him a place in the Zurich final.

Amusan, competing in the women’s 100m hurdles, finished third in a loaded field, crossing the line in 12.25s.

The race was won by Masai Russell of the United States in 12.19s, with her compatriot Tonea Marshall placing second in 12.24s.The Nigerian world record holder, however, had already done enough in previous meetings to secure her ticket to Zurich and remains firmly in contention for a fourth Diamond Trophy.

With 23 qualification points, she sits second behind Grace Stark of the US, ensuring a Nigerian will be represented in the women’s sprint hurdles final.

In the women’s 200m, Turkey-linked Ofili claimed third place with a performance of 22.25s behind Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson, who took victory in 22.17s ahead of American Brittany Brown in second, who clocked 22.21s.

Ofili’s late introduction to the circuit means her six qualification points leave her 13th in the standings, well outside the top eight required for a finals berth, and with no further races scheduled for her, her campaign comes to a close despite Saturday’s impressive run.

Nigeria’s other representative, Enekwechi, threw 21.56m for seventh place in the men’s shot put.

The event was won by Payton Otterdahl of the United States with 22.28m, followed closely by Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri and American Joe Kovacs.

Enekwechi’s performance keeps him seventh in the qualification rankings with 11 points, and with his place in the Lausanne leg already confirmed, he will have one final chance to earn his spot in Zurich.

Amusan is now the only Nigerian certain of a place in the Diamond League finals, while Enekwechi remains in the hunt as the series heads to Lausanne for its final qualifying round before the grand finale in Zurich on August 27 and 28 where only the most consistent performers across the 14-meeting series will contest for the prestigious Diamond Trophy and a share of the $2.24m prize fund.