D’Tigress dominate Afrobasket, win 4th consecutive title

Nigeria’s D’Tigress emerged victorious on Saturday night, defeating Senegal 84-74 to secure their fourth consecutive Afrobasket Championship title in Kigali, Rwanda, cementing their position as the dominant force in African women’s basketball. Throughout the tournament, D’Tigress displayed an exceptional level of play, overpowering their opponents with a stellar lineup of talented players such as Amy Okonkwo, Murjanatu Musa, Sarah Ogoke, and Ifunaya Okoro. Among them, Okonkwo stood out, consistently unleashing her skills to keep Senegal on the defensive, earning her the well-deserved title of the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP). The game was thoroughly dominated by D’Tigress, denying Senegal any opportunity to turn the tide, as reflected in the impressive scorecards of 19-10, 24-21, 26-19, and 22-17 in each of the four quarters. Notably, the victory also marked history with Rena Wakama, the Head Coach of D’Tigress, becoming the first indigenous female coach to lead a national team to an Afrobasket Championship triumph. At the post-match conference, Wakama expressed pride in her players’ determination, hard work, and passion, considering the short period they had to train together. The achievement was widely praised by sports enthusiasts and journalists alike. Queen Moseph, a sports journalist, commended the players for their remarkable display of talent and dedication, uplifting the spirits of basketball-loving Nigerians. The victory serves as a testament to the incredible prowess of Nigeria’s senior national team, leaving a lasting impact on the nation’s basketball community. Sports commentator Kelechi Benard hailed the triumph as a significant milestone for Nigeria, especially given the limited preparation time the team had. He emphasized the importance of hard work and team coordination, factors that contributed to the team’s success and highlighted their potential to achieve even more in the future. Nigeria’s D’Tigress showcased their dominance in African women’s basketball, securing their fourth consecutive Afrobasket Championship title with an 84-74 victory over Senegal. The team’s performance, led by the exceptional Amy Okonkwo and under the guidance of Coach Rena Wakama, earned them widespread admiration and recognition for their professionalism and passion. This win stands as a testament to the team’s commitment and ability, inspiring basketball enthusiasts across the nation.

Afrobasket: D’Tigress crush Rwanda, reach 4th consecutive final

Nigeria’s Senior Women’s Basketball Team, D’Tigress on Thursday pummeled host country Rwanda, 79-48 to reach another final of the ongoing Afrobasket Women’s Championship. The team, who has been dominant in the competition since 2015, are yet to lose any match and are now gunning for their fourth successive title.They have now extended their unbeaten run to 23 games and will next face the winner between Senegal and Mali in the final on Saturday.Amy Okonkwo as usual, unleashed the necessary qualities as she recorded 23 points, 10 rebounds, two steals, and one block to help the team get past Rwanda who had a huge home support.D’Tigress were dominant all through the four quarters of the match recording, 22-6, 22-12, 17-14, and 13-21 to coast home a 79-48 victory.The last time Nigeria lost a game in the Women’s Afrobasket was in 2015 against Cameroon in the semi-finals.In a post-match news conference monitored, the Head Coach of Rwanda, Sheik Caar, admitted that Nigeria is a powerhouse in basketball and that they made three points look easy and they had a 45 percent average.“If you have a team making three points look easy and you only have just one player making points, how are you going to win a team like Nigeria?“We tried but Nigeria is better physically and mentally, indeed they deserve to win and we just have to prepare harder next time,” Caar said.Also speaking, Nigeria’s Head Coach, Rena Wakama, who had just two weeks to prepare the team, expressed happiness over the victory.“It’s a very good feeling I give kudos to the players who gave their best and have done very well to reach another final.“Indeed it’s a great achievement and we look forward to playing in the final and winning the championship trophy,” Wakama said.The D’Tigress’ scorecard in the competition is, 69-35 against Congo, 83-65 against Egypt, 59-52 against Mozambique, and now 79-48 against Rwanda.