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Tag: D’Tigress

  • BREAKING: D’Tigress beat Australia in first Olympics win after 20 years

    BREAKING: D’Tigress beat Australia in first Olympics win after 20 years

    Nigeria’s Senior National Women’s Basketball team, D’Tigress on Monday defeated the Opals of Australia 75-62 in the women’s basketball event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the African basketball champions defeated the Opals of Australia 75-62 in what is their first Olympics win since Athens 2004.

    The all-conquering Africa’s champions thus started their Paris Olympic Games on a winning note with the win over their highly favoured Australian counterparts.

    The team last won an Olympic match 20 years ago and the win over Australia has been described as the biggest upset of the Olympics so far.

    The Rena Wakama-led ladies, in a spirited performance, beat the Australians 75-62 at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium.

    Point guard Ezinne Kalu produced a clutch performance, inspiring the Rena Wakama-coached team to withstand a late rally from the Aussies at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium on Monday.

    Reacting, the Minister of Sports, Senator John Owan Enoh has D’Tigress over the spirited performance.

    “Congratulations D’Tigress!!! This is one historic win for starts. Defeating FIBA world no. 3 is no mean feat!

    “This is a good sign, your hard work and dedication to win is evident and you stop at nothing. Keep it up girls. We are rooting for you,” Senator Enoh wrote.

  • Paris 2024: D’Tigress lose second test match to Serbia

    Paris 2024: D’Tigress lose second test match to Serbia

    Nigeria’s D’Tigress suffered a 70-62 defeat against Serbia in their second pre-Olympic friendly match on Sunday.

     

    Rena Wakama’s team fell behind with a 6-point deficit, 21-15, in the first quarter. Serbia extended their dominance in the second quarter, increasing their lead to 39-29.

     

    The European team maintained their 10-point lead into the third quarter, ending at 55-45, and continued to hold their advantage in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.

     

    D’Tigress will face Japan in their final friendly match in Lille on Wednesday. In Paris, Nigeria will compete against Australia, France, and Japan when the Olympic games event in basketball begins later this week.

     

     

  • Paris 2024: D’Tigress hit Berlin, for Germany friendly game

    Paris 2024: D’Tigress hit Berlin, for Germany friendly game

    As parts of the series of preparatory matches lined up by the Nigeria Basketball Federation to keep the team in top shape, ahead of the Paris Olympic games, the senior female basketball team, D’Tigress yesterday evening arrived Berlin, from its training camp in Saarbrucken, Germany, ahead of its scheduled friendly tie against Germany national female basketball team on Friday, July 19.

    The D’Tigress have been preparing hard for the female basketball events of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, with a full complement of the invited players under the watch of highly-regarded Coach Rena Wakama.

    Reports from the training camp revealed that the girls are in high spirit and are ready for the encounter against the Germany female team.

    D’Tigress, who are the reigning Afrobasket champions will test Serbia in another game in Belgrade, on July 21 and Japan in Lille, France on July 24, respectively,

     

  • Paris 2024: D’Tigress to play Japan in warm -up game

    Paris 2024: D’Tigress to play Japan in warm -up game

    The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has announced additional friendly games for D’Tigress, the country’s women’s basketball team, as part of their preparations for the Olympic Games. Initially, the NBBF scheduled games against Germany on July 19th and Serbia on July 21st. Now, D’Tigress will also face Japan in France in their final test game before the Olympics.

     

    Head coach Rena Wakama has expressed confidence in the team as they continue their training camp in Germany. Speaking to NBBF media, Wakama stated, “Things have been going well in the camp over the last few days. We’ve had great practice sessions, and the girls are in high spirits. They are responding well to training and improving daily. That’s what matters.”

     

    Wakama, who led D’Tigress to their fourth Afrobasket title in Rwanda, added, “I’m confident that the girls will display their talents when we get to Paris. I’m excited and looking forward to the games.”

  • D’Tigress qualify for Paris 2024 Olympics

    D’Tigress qualify for Paris 2024 Olympics

    Nigeria’s female national basketball team D’Tigress have qualified for the basketball event of the Paris 2024 Olympics.

    D’Tigress achieved the feat, having defeated Senegal, 72-65 in their first game and Senegal losing to Belgium 66-92 at the ongoing FIBA Olympic Qualifying Games in Belgium.

    Nigeria had lost 109-44 to FIBA 2022 World Champions, U.S.A, but in spite of this loss, D’Tigress already with their opening game victory, booked their place in Paris.

    Belgium’s victory over Senegal, U.S.A qualified as World champions.

    Nigeria and Belgium also qualified in spite of one game in hand.

    The Rena Wakama tutored side have been receiving congratulatory messages from all sides as basketball faithful pure encomiums on the team.

    Queen John-Moseph, a basketball enthusiast, said the team did well to seal their place in Paris and in history.

    She said the team have earned their place in Paris through hard work and deserved to be praised.

    “Congratulations to the Nigerian team, this was hard fought competition and with one game in the hand are there in Paris already,” she said.

    Nigeria plays Belgium on Sunday evening, as U.S.A take on Senegal to round off the Olympic qualifiers for their group.

  • Olympic Qualifier: D’Tigress beat Senegal 72-65

    Olympic Qualifier: D’Tigress beat Senegal 72-65

    Nigeria’s Women Basketball team, D’Tigress, on Thursday, defeated Senegal 72-65 to win the first game in Group A at the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying event in Antwerp, Belgium.

    The game saw the Afrobasket champions take the lead in the first quarter 20-18 but trailed Senegal 37-46 in the second quarter.

    Senegal maintained the lead 57-49 at the end of the third quarter and trailing 57-49 heading into the last 10 minutes and looking low on energy, Nigeria dug deep.

    They started the last quarter with an 11-0 run to swing the contest back firmly in their favor.

    Amy Okonkwo led Nigeria with an incredible 21 points and 10 rebounds, demonstrating why she was named MVP of the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket in 2023.

    Nigeria endured a real roller-coaster to finish up with a win.

    The team will meet the United States on Friday before facing Belgium on Sunday.

  • Nigeria’s D’Tigress move up seven places in FIBA rankings

    Nigeria’s D’Tigress move up seven places in FIBA rankings

    Nigeria’s D’Tigress has moved up seven places in the latest International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Rankings for women.

    The rankings for the month of September were released by FIBA on Wednesday night.

    The Nigeria’s women’s basketball team’s rise was as a result of their impressive performance at the 2023 AfroBasket Championship.

    Rena Wakama’s side secured their fourth consecutive title at the competition.

    According to the ranking, D’Tigress rose from 18th to 11th place with 528.9 points.

    Mali and Senegal are the other African teams in the top 20.

    Recall that the team won its fourth straight title at the 2023 Women’s Afrobasketball Championship held in Rwanda.

    The impressive performance of Nigeria’s D’Tigress at the 2023 Women’s Afrobasketball Championship seems to have yielded a good result.

    The D’tigress are set to represent Africa at the Paris 2024 Olympic games.

  • FG hails D’Tigress for 4th straight Afrobasket title

    FG hails D’Tigress for 4th straight Afrobasket title

    The Federal Government has applauded the D’Tigress of Nigeria for emerging African Champions for the fourth consecutive time at the 2023 AfroBasket championship in Kigali, Rwanda.

    Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, stated this in a congratulatory message to the team on Sunday in Abuja.

    The defending champions D’Tigress on Saturday, defeated their Senegalese counterparts 84 – 74 in the final of the championship to win their fourth straight title.

    Abubakar said Saturday’s victory by the Nigerian team was historic, especially as the team had waited for 12 solid years with no title before their 2017 triumph.

    He said President Bola Tinubu and all Nigerians were indeed proud of the feat by the team.

    “The D’Tigress ended the drought as they were crowned champions in 2017.

    “The team then followed up with victories in 2019, 2021 and now 2023 in amazing fashion.

    “The Rena Wakama-led team has indeed made us proud, let me emphatically inform you that President Bola Tinubu is proud of you and is congratulating you.

    Nigerians are proud of you. You have indeed made us proud,” he said.

    The permanent secretary said the D’Tigress becomes only the second team ever, after Senegal to win four consecutive titles at the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Competition.

    Abubakar commended the technical crew and all officials with the team, while assuring of the ministry’s plan to ensure a rousing welcome for them.

    He reiterated the ministry’s commitment to the full implementation of all sporting policies and projects for the empowerment of Nigerian youths, in line with the policy thrust of the present administration.

  • Afrobasket: Nigeria’s D’Tigress win historic fourth African title in a row

    Afrobasket: Nigeria’s D’Tigress win historic fourth African title in a row

    Nigeria’s female basketball team, D’Tigress on Saturday in Rwanda defeated Senegal to win the 2023 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket Championship for the fourth time in a row.

    D’Tigress beat the 11-time African champions 84-74 at the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda on Saturday to lay their hands on the 6th title.

    The win against Senegal means that the D’Tigress will now compete for a spot at the women’s basketball event of the 2024 Olympics.

    D’Tigress quickly established their dominance with a nine-point lead at the end of the first quarter.

    The Senegalese kept it close in the second quarter with a 24-21 margin for D’Tigress extending their lead to 12 going to the halftime break.

    Coming out for the second half, Senegal played with more urgency and were able to take the third quarter 26-19 reducing the deficit to five.

    The fourth quarter was back and forth between the two best teams of the tournament as Senegal continued to close the gap but D’Tigress took it to win the game by 10 points.

    The Lionesses have now lost to the D’Tigress in four Afrosbasket finals (2005, 2017, 2019, and 2023).

    For newly appointed D’Tigress Head Coach, Rena Wakama, she became the first woman to lead a team to the Afrobasket title.

    Nigeria’s Amy Okonkwo who finished the final with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 assists, was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

    However, it’s Interesting to note that the coach of D’Tigress, Wakama is the first female coach to win the Afrobasket title and with her in charge.

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  • D’Tigress outclass Senegal to win fourth consecutive continental title

    D’Tigress outclass Senegal to win fourth consecutive continental title

    Nigeria’s senior women basketball team, D’Tigress, on Saturday defeated Senegal 84-74 to win the 2023 Afrobasket Championship in Kigali, Rwanda.

    The team put up superlative performances to win the title for a fourth consecutive time.

    They had much in abundance in Amy Okonkwo, Murjanatu Musa, Sarah Ogoke and Ifunaya Okoro whom were crucial for the Nigerian side

    Okonkwo, as usual, unleashed the necessary qualities that kept Senegal on the back foot and she was so fantastic throughout the competition.

    Her efforts were acknowledged, leading to her winning the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

    D’Tigress dominated the game and never gave Senegal any chance to dream, recording scorecards of 19-10, 24-21, 26-19 and 22-17 in the four quarters of the game.

    History was also made as the Head Coach of D’ Tigress, Rena Wakama, was the first indigenous female coach to lead a national team to  win the Afrobasket championship trophy.

    At the post-match conference, Wakama praised the team for the doggedness, hard work and passion to achieve such feat in the short time they were put together.

    “I’m very proud of my players. They deserve the accolades. Indeed this is  a great achievement that should be rewarded.

    “We did not have enough time to train together, yet they brought in their professionalism and were marvelous in winning the trophy,” Wakama said.

    In a reaction, Queen Moseph, a sports journalist, described the victory as wonderful as the players have shown their qualities and proven their passion to win for the nation.

    “We are very happy for them. They deserve the praises as they have lifted the spirits of many basketball loving Nigerians.

    “We have always believed in them and winning four straight championship titles show how incredible the senior national team is,” Moseph said.

    Kelechi Benard, a sports commentator, described the victory as a very good one for Nigeria especially for the girls who just came together for a week to train.

    “The team has proved to many basketball faithful that hard work pays and team coordination is just what can make us to achieve more,” he  said.