Team Nigeria held their nerve to secure a dramatic 20-19 victory over Guyana in a thrilling men’s 3×3 basketball Pool A clash at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games on Sunday night.
It was a hard earned victory because it came when it appeared another painful heartache was on the way.
The Nigerians looked to be cruising towards victory after opening up a 19-15 advantage, leaving themselves just one point away from sealing the contest.
Guyana however mounted a spirited comeback, scoring four unanswered points to draw level at 19-19, silencing the Nigerian bench and raising fears of another heartbreaking defeat after the team’s recent setbacks.
With the clock ticking down and just three seconds remaining, Nigeria produced one final attack.
Keeping their composure under immense pressure, they found the decisive basket to claim a priceless 20-19 victory, sparking wild celebrations from players and officials alike.
The dramatic triumph revived Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the quarter-finals after what has been a roller-coaster campaign in Glasgow.
Nigeria had begun the tournament with an encouraging 21-17 victory over the Cayman Islands, but three successive defeats left their qualification hopes hanging by a thread.
Sunday night’s dramatic escape against Guyana not only ended that losing streak but also demonstrated the fighting spirit within the Nigerian squad as they refused to surrender when victory seemed to be slipping away.
Elsewhere in Pool A, New Zealand strengthened their position with a convincing 21-13 victory over hosts Scotland, leaving the race for the knockout stages finely poised.
Sports247 gathered that the last-gasp winner sparked emotional celebrations in the Nigerian camp, with players embracing one another after surviving an extraordinary finish.
The victory lifts Team Nigeria to two wins from five matches and keeps alive hopes of advancing to the quarter-finals as the competition enters its decisive phase .
