D’Tigress Coach Urges Focus as Nigeria Targets AfroBasket Title Defense

D’Tigress Coach Urges Focus as Nigeria Targets AfroBasket Title Defense 

By Admin 

 Head coach of Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, Rene Wakama, has urged her players to remain focused and committed as they begin their quest for a fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s AfroBasket title.

D’Tigress made a commanding statement in their tournament opener on Saturday, delivering a resounding 92–45 victory over Rwanda at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship in Abidjan.

The win extended Nigeria’s unbeaten run in the competition to 25 games, a streak that dates back to October 2015, reinforcing their dominance in African women’s basketball.

From the opening whistle, Wakama’s team set the tone, outscoring Rwanda 17–8 in the first quarter and maintaining the pressure with a 28–17 margin in the second. The third and fourth quarters saw Nigeria pull further ahead with 26–12 and 21–8 scores, respectively.

France-based forward Elizabeth Balogun led the charge with a standout performance, scoring 18 points, grabbing 4 rebounds, and contributing 2 assists. She was closely supported by Turkey-based Victoria Macaulay, who added 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Speaking after the win, Coach Wakama expressed satisfaction with the performance but cautioned against complacency, emphasizing the need for growth and cohesion in the newly assembled squad.

“It’s a good win for us today, but we have high standards as a team,” Wakama said. “This team is different from the one that won the 2023 title. This is our first competitive game together, and we’re still learning how to play as a unit.”

The coach acknowledged that she is still fine-tuning rotations and building chemistry among players, but praised the squad’s professionalism and focus.

“Credit to the girls — they understand the mission. We want to stay grounded, take it one game at a time, and continue to raise our level of play,” she added.

D’Tigress will face Mozambique in their second group game on Monday as they continue their campaign to retain the continental crown in Abidjan.