Jordan Nwora sets Nigerian national team record with 36 points in World Cup qualifier

If the Louisville basketball team is going to exceed expectations in 2018-19, it’s going to need multiple returning players to take massive leaps forward in their second or third collegiate seasons.

One of the most likely candidates to answer that bell is rising sophomore Jordan Nwora. The 6’8 forward from Buffalo showed flashes of brilliance at times as a freshman, but still received a puzzlingly small amount of playing time. The second part of that equation doesn’t figure to be an issue next season, especially if his play this summer is any indication of what the future may hold.

Despite being easily the youngest player on the roster at 19-years-old, Nwora has been the top performer for the Nigeria national team this summer as the squad attempts to qualify for the FIBA World Cup.

In the Nigeria’s most recent game, a 93-53 win over Mali, Nwora poured in 36 points. That total marked the most points ever scored by a Nigerian player in a major tournament, surpassing former NBA player Ike Diogu’s 31-point mark.

Here are the highlights of Nwora’s performance:

Nwora’s play helped Nigeria cruise to a 6-0 record in the first round of World Cup qualifying. He will be back with Louisville when the second round of qualifying takes place in September.