D’Tigers Drop Four Spots in Latest FIBA Rankings

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

While D’Tigress fairytale run at the just concluded Paris 2024 Olympic Games resulted in the senior Nigerian women’s basketball team’s elevation, the reverse was the case for the male team, D’Tigers who slumped four spots in the latest FIBA Rankings released on Thursday.

The men’s team failed to cut to the Olympics and has experienced poor form in recent performances. While the women moved up from 12th to 8th, the men slumped by the same four spots. D’Tigers garnered 299.7 points to drop four places to 42nd globally. The Nigerian men’s team also placed 6th in Africa.

South Sudan had the only double-digit leap among the Top 50. Their first-ever Olympics brought them their first win at the competition in their debut game and a jump from 34th to 23rd in the FIBA World Ranking. They are now the top-ranked African team, overtaking Côte d’Ivoire.

Africa’s Top 10 in the latest ranking include; 1. South Sudan 2. Côte d’Ivoire 3.Angola 4.Tunisia 5. Egypt 6. Nigeria 7. Cape Verde 8. Senegal 9. Cameroon 10. Guinea.

Interestingly, there were changes at the top of the global rankings following 

an incredible tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

USA claimed gold at the Men’s Olympic Basketball Tournament Paris 2024 and protected their lead at the top of the ranking, while Serbia jumped up two spots to get to the second spot with a total of 758.9 points, overtaking Germany. The fourth place now belongs to France. 

An appearance in the Gold Medal Game of the Men’s Olympic Basketball Tournament Paris 2024 pushed them up by five spots compared to March 2024, putting them just behind Germany in third, and making them the highest climbing nation in the Top 20.

Canada climbed up to the fifth spot after their first Olympic run in 24 years and are still reaping the benefits of their third-place finish at the 2023 last summer.

With their wins at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, Greece and Puerto Rico are both up by one spot, Greece going to 13th, and Puerto Rico to 15th.