FIBA Ranking: Nigeria retains continental lead, now world 22nd

Nigeria’s Senior Basketball team, D’Tigers, has retained its continental lead and moved up to 22nd position in world ranking after winning all its games at the FIBA AfroBasket qualifiers.

In the ranking table on the Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA) website on Thursday, D’Tigers’ moved by one spot up on the global scene after garnering 433.3 points in the month under review.

D’Tigers were able to achieve this feat after winning their three matches against South Sudan, Rwanda and Mali in the just concluded 2021 Afrobasket qualifiers.

On the global scene, USA maintained a firm grip on top spot ahead of No. 2 Spain.

Russia is the only newcomer to the top 10 after climbing two spots to No. 9 and switching places with the Czech Republic, which dropped to No. 11.

Having played just one game in November, Italy stayed put at No. 12 despite seeing their point tally grow to 582.5.

Defending EuroBasket champions Slovenia, which won twice to improve to 3-1 in Group F of the Qualifiers and clinch a spot in the Final Round, climbed two spots to No.16 after wins over Ukraine and Austria.

Wins against higher-ranked Spain (No. 2) and Poland (No. 13) not only locked in Israel’s berth at the FIBA EuroBasket 2022 but also saw them rise two spots to No. 39.

Syria and Saudi Arabia were the biggest risers in Asia, moving up five places each to No. 90 and No. 91, respectively in the FIBA World Ranking after both went 1-1 in November.

South Sudan, coached by long-time NBA star and federation president Luol Deng, won two of three games in the FIBA AfroBasket 2021 Qualifiers in Kigali, Rwanda, to register a rise of nine positions to their current rank of No. 98.

A win against Mozambique was enough to see Kenya move seven spots to No. 115 despite losses to African basketball powerhouses Angola and Senegal.

Meanwhile, in Europe, Albania also moved up seven positions to break into the top 100 following their FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 European Pre-Qualifiers games against the higher-ranked Portugal and Belarus.

The biggest drop in the FIBA World Ranking was suffered by Madagascar, which plummeted 30 places to No. 124 after losing in the FIBA AfroBasket 2021 Qualifiers to Tunisia by 37 points, to the Central African Republic by 26 and to the Democratic Republic of Congo by 18.