Nigeria wins African basketball championship and guarantees place at Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Runners-up Angola, plus Tunisia and Senegal will battle for a place in Brazil at the Olympic tournament next year
Chamberlain Oguchi received the award for Most Valuable Player after the final (FIBA)
Nigeria scored a double victory this Sunday (30 August) when they beat Angola 74-65 in the Afrobasket 2015 final in Rades, Tunisia, to become African champions for the first time and guarantee their qualification for the men's basketball tournament in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The news was announced on the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) website.
Second-placed Angola, and third and fourth-placed Tunisia and Senegal will all have another chance to qualify for Rio 2016 when they meet in the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Angola were hoping to bag their 12th Afrobasket victory, and took the lead early on in the final before Nigeria turned the score around in the second quarter, keeping the lead right through to the end. Nigerian Chamberlain Oguchi scored a hat-trick of three-pointers towards his 19-point match total, and won the Most Valuable Player award.
“It's the best moment of my life, to be able to come here after missing the last AfroBasket,” Oguchi said after the game. “To be able to come here and do this with my brothers feels amazing.”
Tunisia, who had lost their place in the final to Angola, beat Senegal 82-73. The home team won bronze after holding on to its lead throughout almost the entire game, despite the absence of its long-legged star player, the 2.17m-tall Salah Mejri.
Watch the match highlights of the Afrobasket final:
Nigeria will join Brazil (host country), USA (world champions) and Australia (Oceania champions) in the men's basketball line-up for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Follow the race to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games here.
