
D’Tigress, the Nigeria national women’s basketball team emerged as the champions of Africa again after their electrifying 84-74 win over Senegal in the final of the 2023 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket tournament.
The female national team’s victory on Saturday was historic as the Nigerian Ladies have the second basketball team ever after Senegal to win the title four consecutive times.
The team waited for 12 long years with no title to show for their efforts but eventually ended the drought as they won the championship title in 2017. D’Tigress then followed up with victories in 2019, 2021, and now 2023 in a fantastic way.
At the beginning of the tournament, not many saw the light in the D’Tigress because they were largely dominated by rookies except for one or two experienced players. Although from their first match against Congo DR, Rena Wakama, the team’s coach continued to shut down critics.
After they played against the host Rwanda and defeating in the semi-final, D’Tigress had sent a message they were going for the top prize and that was what played out at the BK Arean in Kigali on Saturday.
During the first minutes of the match, D’Tigress’ Amy Okonkwo scored the first two points in the first quarter and controlled it winning 19-10 and still had controll in the second quarter though with little margin of 24-21. At half time, the team was already halfway through to achieving their goal with 43-42 points taking the lead.
D’Tigress won the last quarter of the match with 22-17 and evetually winning the game with 84-74 points.
Additionally and a double win for Nigeria’s national team, the coach of D’Tigress, Wakama is the first female coach to win the Afrobasket title. Many believed in her and the fact that there is room to dream of bigger things in the future.
The team’s Amy Okonkwo was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, as she finished the final with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 assists.
With their victory at the 2023 FIBA Women’s Afrobasketball Championship, it has secured them spot to compete at the women’s basketball event of the 2024 Olympics.