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Tag: D’Tigress

  • I don’t think I will ever wear the green and white again – D’Tigress player

    Ezinne Kalu, a player of D’Tigress, Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, on Thursday said she was not likely to represent the country again.

    The D’Tigress point guard said this via her twitter handle, following FIBA’s pronouncement that Mali would replace Nigeria at the upcoming 2022 Women’s Basketball World Cup in Australia.

    “I don’t think I will ever wear the green and white again,” Kalu wrote.

    Kalu, alongside others, secured Nigeria’s place at the World Cup after beating Mali at the qualification stage in Serbia.

    But they will now be replaced by their African rivals following Federal Government’s suspension of Nigeria’s basketball from international competitions for two years.

    This had come as a result of the ongoing leadership tussle in the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF).

    Other players have also voiced their frustrations on Twitter, blaming Sunday Dare, the Youth and Sports Development Minister, and the NBBF for the ouster from the global showpiece.

    Stan Okoye, who plays for D’Tigers, D’Tigress’ male counterparts, reacted thus: “Wow, what a shame! Greed, selfishness, corruption, all the above. My heart is broken for these ladies.

    “Well done NBBF, Muhammadu Buhari, Sunday Dare, truly an embarrassment.”

    Another D’Tigers player, Chimezie Metu, also described the situation as embarrassing.

    “Extremely alarming. Decades of work have been thrown down the drain.

    “Multiple-time African champions and multiple Olympic/World Cup bids and we don’t get to even participate in the next competition, not because of an athletic inability but because grown men are too busy fighting over money.

    “Absolutely embarrassing.”

    “At the end of the day, this is only a metaphor for what our people are going through in Nigeria. Innocent people suffering because our so-called “leaders” are too busy being greedy,” Metu added.

    FIBA also said it would make known its decisions relating to NBBF’s participation in other international competitions and any potential disciplinary measures in due course.

  • Basketball Worldcup: FIBA replaces Nigeria with Mali

    The Nigerian female basketball team, D’Tigress have been thrown out of the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup and replaced with another team in Africa after the Federal Government withdrew all teams from international competitions.

    Recall that president Buhari led -Federal Government suspends all international basketball competition for two years.

    D’Tigress had qualified for the World Cup billed for Sydney, Australia, starting in September 2022, after defeating France and Mali in the final qualifying tournament.

    FIBA’s decision comes after the deliberations with the Nigeria Basketball Federation to see how the decision could be rescinded for the defending African champions to represent the continent.

    FIBA has now called on Mali senior women  Basketball team to replace the Nigerian team at the 2002 worldCup billed to hold in Australia.

  • D’Tigress appeals to Federal Government to reverse Basketball ban

    D’Tigress appeals to Federal Government to reverse Basketball ban

    The Nigeria Women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, has reacted to the suspension slammed on all international competitions by the Federal Government.

    NewsGuru.com reports that president Buhari had given his nod for the suspension of Nigerian basketball teams from all international competitions for 2 years over the unending crisis bedeviling the Basketball Federation.

    Minister of Youths and Sports, Sunday Dare said that the development would allow the government to focus on effort that will revamp the sport

    Read Also:

    BREAKING: FG pulls basketball out of international competitions

    The players said they would like to be given the opportunity to represent Nigeria because the ban is taking away all their future competitions, accomplishments, and goals to elevate, inspire, and make Nigeria proud!

    ”We would like to be given the opportunity to play for our country that we passionately love to represent in this upcoming competition.

    ”We have worked very hard to be 3x Afrobasket Champions, Olympians and now we are blessed with another opportunity to continue that representation for Nigeria.

    ”We want Nigerian Basketball to continue to grow and succeed on every level; from the local leagues, grassroots and even on the international stage!

    ”Our team is a testament to how successful Nigerian Basketball can be and how we have been an inspiration to all Nigerian athletes across the globe.

    The players thanked their coaches, medical staff, organizers, and fans and noted that the ban not only penalizes them but Nigerians all as well.

    They added that their goal is to play and represent Nigeria proudly at international competitions.

     

     

  • D’Tigress drawn to face France, hosts at FIBA Women’s World Cup

    D’Tigress drawn to face France, hosts at FIBA Women’s World Cup

    Nigeria’s senior national women basketball team, D’Tigress, have been drawn in Group B of the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Australia.

    The Nigerian side were drawn to face France, Australia, Canada, Japan and Serbia at the competition which is in its 19th edition.

    The World Cup is scheduled to hold in Sydney, Australia from Sept. 22 to Oct. 1.

    At the draw held on Thursday in Sydney, the 12 qualified teams were drawn into the two groups of A and B.

    D’Tigress, who are reigning African champions, have a tough schedule in Group B, where they will again face France whom they stunned during the qualifiers last month.

    They are also likely to have their hands full with hosts Australia, as well as Canada.

    Group A is made up of China, Belgium, South Korea, U.S., Bosnia Herzegovina and a final qualifier which is yet to be determined.

    NAN reports that the D’Tigress pulled a major upset in Belgrade during the qualifiers by beating France before dispatching Mali to qualify for the World Cup in grand style.

  • NBBF president Musa Kida Applauds Female Basketball Team

    NBBF president Musa Kida Applauds Female Basketball Team

    Nigeria Basketball Federation President, Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida has congratulated the Women National Basketball Team, D’Tigress for their recent rankings by the World Basketball Regulating Body, FIBA.

     

    Nigeria’s female basketball team D’Tigress was ranked among the world top 10 teams. This was made known from FIBA’s Power Rankings for women released on Wednesday.
    Kida said the ranking is coming as a result of the outstanding performances of the D’Tigeress at both the FIBA African Championship and FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifiers held recently in Belgrade.
    The FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022 Power Rankings are put together by panel, led by FIBA’s Women’s Basketball specialist Paul Nilsen. It also revealed the lineup for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022.
    The NBBF Boss said the ranking is the second volume, after the first volume of the Power Rankings drawn up before the recent World Cup Qualifying Tournaments, plus subsequent results.
    Kida said that with their performance in Belgrade, and rankings, that the D’Tigress have become a force to be reckoned with in the game world wide.Also Read

    D’Tigress survived a final quarter scare and held their own to see off fellow Africans Mali 74-69 to book the final Group B spot for the Women Basketball World Cup billed to hold in Australia this year.

    It was a game of two quarters each as it ended 20-22, 22-13, 22-9, 9-25. Nigeria won the second and third while Mali won the first and fourth quarters.

    Following on from the euphoria of their historic win against France, they repeated that feeling of joy, but also mixed with a palpable sense of relief by completing a 73-69 victory against continental rivals Mali.

  • Minister hails D ‘Tigress’ qualification for FIBA world cup

    Minister hails D ‘Tigress’ qualification for FIBA world cup

    Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has congratulated the Nigerian national women basketball team, D’Tigress, for picking a ticket to the FIBA Women World Cup.

    The D’ Tigress who are three times Afrobasketball champions beat their Malian opponents 73-69 on Sunday in Serbia to qualify as Africa’s sole representative.

    They had earlier beaten the highly rated, world number five, France 67-65, after losing their opening game to China.

    The minister praised the queens of the court for doing the nation proud and showing dogged determination in all their games.

    The FIBA Women Basketball World Cup will take place on Sydney, Australia in September

  • D’Tigress Defeats Mali 73-69 To Grab 2022 FIBA Women’s Worldcup Ticket

    D’Tigress Defeats Mali 73-69 To Grab 2022 FIBA Women’s Worldcup Ticket

     

    The Nigerian side maintained their momentum from the win against France on Friday and dictated the pace of the game. They came back from a set down to defeat their fellow West Africans and book a ticket place for the competition billed for September in Australia.

    Nigeria lost the first quarter 20-22 at the Ranko Žeravica Sports Hall, Belgrade but rallied back, just like they did against France, from a 2-points deficit to stun the Malians.

    In the second quarter, Otis Hughley’s girls became even more dominant, crawling back into the match with a 22-13 points win to end the half 42-35. They also defeated their opponents 22-9 in the third quarter. Mali, however, took charge in the fourth quarter with 25-7 points before a 19-13pts finish in the 4th quarter helped Nigeria to complete the comeback.

    https://www.channelstv.com/2022/02/13/dtigress-defeat-mali-qualify-for-fiba-world-cup/

    “I think fatigue set in and only having one point guard made it tough against a team in survival mode,” Hughley Jr. said after the final buzzer.

    “But seriously, hats off to Mali and their undying effort. Credit to their coach who did such an amazing job and Mali almost flipped the script. But our girls took the punch and we’re off to Sydney – we’re just happy about that.”

    For the playmaker, Promise Amukamara, who had 10 points and 8 assists, the qualification tournament was different.

    The African champions had lost their first game, 90-76, to China before defeating France in the second game

     

    “This tournament was very special for us”, she told the FIBA website. “We battled through a lot of adversity. I had to step up and take on the point guard and leader role. I am not very vocal, so that was a challenge for me.”

     

  • NBBF president hails D’Tigress as team secures world cup ticket

    NBBF president hails D’Tigress as team secures world cup ticket

    Igoche Mark, the President, Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has congratulated D’Tigress over the team’s qualification for the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup.

    D’Tigress on Friday qualified for the 2022 FIBA Women World Cup to be hosted in Australia later in the year after a 67-65 win against world number five-ranked team, France.

    The reigning African Champions had put up a strong resistance but bowed to the superior power of China in their opening game, losing 76-90 to the seventh ranked team in the world on Thursday.

    However, the team led by Coach Otis Hughley did just enough in their second game against France as the D’Tigress rallied back from a 17-point deficit in the first quarter to snatch a win and book their second consecutive world cup outing with a game to spare.

    Second quarter saw a more purposeful and dominant D’Tigress crawl their way back into the game with a 16-10 points win to close the first half 27-38.

    Not comfortable with the scores, the team applied more pressure to win the third quarter 21-14 before another impressive 19-13 points finish in the fourth quarter to seal the win.

    Congratulating the ladies, Mark said that the team showed the true Nigerian spirit by defying the odds to beat the fifth best Women’s Basketball team in the FIBA rankings.

    “Congratulations dear Champions,I have never doubted your abilities.

    “Thank you for putting up a good fight. You have made the federation proud, the country is proud by your performance.

    “You defied every odd to beat one of the best basketball team in the world, that’s the Nigerian spirit.

    “You have conquered one of the best in the world and it is now time to step it up a notch as we stand solidly behind you in your next game against Mali. Keep soaring higher,” he said.

    The NBBF boss also appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari as well as the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, adding that the team’s victory couldn’t have been possible without their continuous and relentless support for the NBBF.

    NAN also reports that second placed Nigeria will face Mali later on Saturday (today), while France will hope to bounce back when they meet China

  • China cage D’ Tigress 90-67 in FIBA World Cup qualifier

    China cage D’ Tigress 90-67 in FIBA World Cup qualifier

    D’ Tigress, Nigeria’s senior women basketball team, on Thursday, in Serbia lost 67-90 to China in their opening match at the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifiers.

    The game played at the Ranko Žeravica Sports Hall, Belgrade, saw the more experienced Chinese take control of the game right from the first quarter.

    In a highly entertaining end-to-end game, China took the first quarter 29-14, second quarter 25-22, and the third quarter 25-16.

    The Otis Hughley tutored Nigerian girls rallied back in the fourth quarter like wounded tigers to take it 24-11, but it was too little too late.

    D’ Tigress top performer Amy Okonkwo made 14 points while Pallas Akpanah finished with 12 points.

    The team was without influential point guard, Ezinne Kalu, who was ruled out of the qualifiers because of injury, leaving the team with only one proven guard, Promise Amukamara.

    Nigeria had been drawn in Group B with China, France and Mali.

    The Nigerian girls will now hope to bounce back against another tough opponent, France, on Friday, as they seek qualification for the World Cup, scheduled for Australia in September.

  • D’Tigress protest unpaid wages, allowances, unfair treatment by FG

    D’Tigress protest unpaid wages, allowances, unfair treatment by FG

    Afrobasket champions, the D’Tigress are protesting over their unpaid wages and allowances.

    They are also expressing grievances over what they described as unfair treatment meted out to them by the Nigerian government and the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) after their victory at the 2021 FIBA Afrobasket Women’s Championship in Cameroon.

    Some members of the team, who took to social media platform, Twitter, said their efforts in winning the championship for a fifth time and qualifying for the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Australia were never appreciated.

    “We have defended our championship and brought back the cup in 2019 and 2021 which is historical but still no invitation has been extended to the team to visit Aso Rock or a presidential handshake, why?”one of the D’Tigress players, Victoria Macaulay said.

    Another member of the D’Tigress, Promise Amukamara, faulted the statement made by the NBBF President Musa Kida that the federation is not owing any players and officials.

    “This is far from the truth. The last time we checked, our allowances, stipends, bonuses, Chinese grants, and donations made by banks for players, officials, and volunteers, have still not been paid,” the point guard added.

    D’Tigress forward Ify Ibekwe corroborated Promise’s comment, noting that “we are owed $73,118 from the NBBF $24,000 from the ministry for the Tokyo grant and $100,000 from donations from three banks in Nigeria.”

    For Ezinne Kalu, since their general manager and team manager resigned, “they are being marginalised.”

    “The outgoing president never really shows up in camp and competitions to boost morale and when we have significant issues that make him present, he only provides vague answers like our concerns are not important to him,” she added. “But when we win, they show up for political gain.

    “Musa Kida was not in Cameroon, but somehow, he showed up in Abuja to take pictures; again for political gains.”