D'Tigress celebrating AfroBasket victory
Finally, FG congratulates D’Tigress over historic third consecutive AfroBasket title
Federal Government has finally congratulated the country’s female senior basketball team, D’Tigress following their impressive showing at the just-concluded 2021 FIBA AfroBasket Championships in Cameroun where they clinched the title for the third consecutive time, Sunday.
Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, in a statement, late Monday, poured encomiums on Nigeria’s senior women basketball team D’Tigress for its victory at the 2021 FIBA AfroBasket championships in Cameroon.
“Clearly now Nigeria’s dominance of the sport is indisputable. This is the evidence that Nigeria’s women basketball can be ranked as a World class programme.We have to sustain this momentum.
“This is remarkable, winning the Afrobasketball Championships for an unprecedented third time. I salute the team (D’Tigress) for their professional commitment and execution. They have done the nation proud and maintained the positive results we have achieved in sports in the last few weeks.”
The commendation comes after nearly 24 hours after, the historic win by the country’s female national basketball team, D’Tigress following their third consecutive Afrobasket championship glory in far away Cameroun, Sunday.
D’Tigress have now won the championship for the third consecutive time.
The victory also follows the disappointing outing recorded by the senior female football team, the Super Falcons who were thrashed last week by their South African counterparts, the Banyana Banyana at the Teslim Balogun Stadium during the maiden Aisha Buhari six-nation FIFA-graded tournament by 4-2.
At the Afrobasket tournament, The Nigerian team beat Mali 70-59 to be crowned champions of the 2021 edition in Yaounde, Cameroon.
They won the previous editions in 2017 and 2019.
The defending champions outclassed their opponents all through the tournament and stayed focused on their objective of breaking records in the final against Mali.
They won the first quarter 22-11 but the Malians bounced back to take the second quarter 13-9 to make it a tight contest at half-time.
In the third quarter, it was the D’Tigress show. Captain Fantastic, Adaora Elonu, Victoria Macaulay and Ezinne Kalu worked so well with the team and they won 28-14. In the 4th quarter, coach Otis Hughley’s team sustained the momentum and with four minutes remaining, they will enjoy a 20-point lead over their opponents.
Mali put up a late fight to win the 4th quarter 21-11 and reduced the deficit to 11 points. Macaulay emerged Nigeria’s top performer with 15 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals and 3 blocks. Mariam Coulibally posted 13 points and 9 rebounds to finish as top performer for Mali.
Elonu and Kalu were made the tournament’s All-Star 5. The hardworking captain fantastic, Elonu was voted the MVP of the tournament.
This is Nigeria’s 5th Afrobasket title with previous successes in 2003 and 2005.
With this victory, D’Tigress have also qualified for the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Australia.
