Junior D’Tigers face Mali in AfroBasket semis
Nigeria's junior men's basketball team, the Junior D'Tigers, will face Mali in the 2024 FIBA AfroBasket U-18 Championship semifinals on Thursday (today) in Pretoria, South Africa.The game, which begins at 8 p.m. at Pretoria University, will be a heavyweight clash because both teams have guards and bigs.
Youssouf Traore (11 points, 17 rebounds) has been a dominant force for the Malians, and they will need their mobile big man to step up against the Nigerians.
Sekou Bagayoko (14.7 points, four rebounds, and 1.3 assists) and Mamadou Traore (11.3 points per game, 3.7 rebounds) provide the Sahel nation with offensive options.
Mali relies on bench points (18.3 per game) and second-chance points (21.7).
Azeez Sulaimon has been one of the tournament's best performers. The point guard is fearless and a powerhouse for the J'Tigers.
His 18 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists have helped Nigeria get this far, and another standout performance could propel the men in green even further.
Isaac Ezekial is another special talent in the Tigers' arsenal, with 15 points and nine rebounds to help them achieve success.
Nigeria prefers to impose itself in the paint, scoring 32.7 points per game. Points from turnovers (26 points per game) and fastbreaks (19 points per game) have also been a staple for Nigeria.
To reach this stage, the Junior D'Tigers defeated Uganda 72-61 on Tuesday, while Mali defeated Ivory Coast 73-69.
Meanwhile, Azeez Sulaimon and Ekpo Bassey of Nigeria are in the running for Group Phase MVP in an ongoing poll on FIBA's official website.
Mali's Youssouf Traore was also named one of the top eight performers in the group stage, with 2% of the vote, the same as Ekpo Bassey, and 1% for Sulaimon.
Other contenders for the prestigious award include Senegalese Ousseynou Sambe, Egyptian Mohammed Hussin, Rwandan Dylan Kayijuka, Angolan Aginaldo Neto, and Moroccan Rayane Solhi.
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