NIGERIA beat China, 86-73, on Sunday night and denied the 2019 Fiba Basketball World Cup hosts an outright spot in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The Nigerians frustrated the host to seal a place in the Tokyo Games as the best African country in the World Cup. Nigeria and Tunisia topped Group M and N respectively with a 3-2 record but Nigeria took the tiebreak owing to a +54 points differential against Tunisia’s -9.
China, meanwhile, missed the Olympic boat after the defeat in front of its home fans in Guangzhou. The host country ended up tied with Iran with a 2-3 record but lost the tiebreaker after Iran won in lopsided fashion over Gilas Pilipinas, 95-75.
China, however, could still make it to the Tokyo Olympics via the Olympic Qualifying Tournament next year.
Josh Okogie had 19 points, and Ekpe Udoh added 13 points for Nigeria, which will play in the Olympics for the third straight time.
Yi Jianlian had a game-high 27 points for China in a losing cause.
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