D’Tigers of Nigeria lost 88-78 to Tunisia in their opening qualification match for the 2027 FIBA World Cup.
Nigeria stayed level with their hosts for much of the encounter, but the game slipped away in overtime at the Salle Multidisciplinaire de Radès, Tunisia, on Thursday.
D’Tigers last appeared at the World Cup in 2019 and are attempting a return after missing the 2023 edition.
Despite leading 15-12 at the end of the first quarter, Nigeria trailed 35-32 at halftime, with veterans Oussama Marnaoui and Omar Abada proving influential for Tunisia.
The third quarter was tightly contested, with both sides recording eight unanswered points at different moments, ending 53-53.
Twenty points apiece at the end of regulation pushed the contest into overtime, where Tunisia prevailed and secured the win.
Talib Zanna finished as Nigeria’s highest scorer with 22 points, while Morris Udeze was the only other player to reach double digits, contributing 10 points.
D’Tigers will take on Guinea in their next game on Saturday, followed by a matchup against Rwanda on November 30 as they conclude the first half of the opening round.
Each team in the group will meet again in the second phase of Round One, after which the top three will advance to the final round.
Ultimately, only five African teams will secure qualification for the World Cup in Qatar, scheduled for August 27 to September 12.