The Rockets' new addition shines! Okogie scores 33 points on 12 of 19 shooting, leading Nigeria to two consecutive group stage victories.

On August 16, 2025, during the African Men's Basketball Championship Group B match, the Nigerian team showcased impressive form, defeating the defending champions Tunisia 87-66, achieving a record of 2 wins and 0 losses in the group stage. Rockets' new player Josh Okogie ignited the arena's excitement with his 33-point performance, securing Nigeria's advancement to the quarter-finals. Okogie shot 12 for 19 from the field and made all 6 of his free throws.

Tunisia's Omar Abada and Yassine Tumi each scored 13 points, but it was all in vain as Tunisia suffered their second consecutive loss in the group stage, bringing their record to 0 wins and 2 losses.

Nigeria started strong with a 10-0 scoring run, with Caleb Agada and Ike Nwamu hitting three-pointers, while Talib Zanna and Chukwudiebere Udeh scored in the paint. This forced Tunisia's coach Mehedi Mary to call a timeout with 3 minutes and 30 seconds left in the game.

The Nigerian team played with great confidence, as Okogie scored 10 points on 4 of 5 shooting in the first quarter, helping the team finish the quarter at 29-16.

In the second quarter, Okogie was on fire, contributing 9 points, including two free throws and a long-range shot just outside the three-point line, extending the lead to 38-19.

Tunisia struggled to match Nigeria's energy, with their attempts to close the gap repeatedly thwarted by Nigeria's suffocating defense.

With two minutes left in the quarter, Agada calmly sank a free throw, increasing the score to 48-27. However, Tunisia managed to break the 30-point barrier with a three-pointer from Bilal Jaziri, followed by Jawadi's drive to the basket, where he was fouled but still managed to make a difficult shot, converting the free throw to change the score to 48-33.

In the third quarter, Nigeria continued to control the game, building a 20-point lead (63-43) with 4 minutes remaining. Okogie added another 12 points in this quarter, including a sharp drive, a three-pointer, and two free throws. After three quarters, Nigeria led 68-47. Ultimately, they defeated Tunisia by 21 points.

Okogie was the spearhead of Nigeria's offense, setting the tone for this significant victory. Will he deliver outstanding performances for the Rockets in the new season? Let's wait and see.