2023 Afrobasket: D’tigress beat Rwanda, advance to final

The Nigeria Senior Women’s Basketball Team, D’tigress, showcased their dominance in the ongoing Afrobasket Women’s Championship as they cruised to a commanding 79-48 victory over host country Rwanda in the semifinals on Thursday. With this triumph, D’tigress extends their unbeaten streak in the competition to an impressive 23 games and sets their sights on securing their fourth consecutive championship trophy.

Amy Okonkwo once again displayed her exceptional skills, contributing 23 points, 10 rebounds, two steals, and one block, propelling the team past Rwanda, who had strong home support. The Nigerian side demonstrated their prowess throughout the match, leading with scores of 22-6, 22-12, 17-14, and 13-21 in the four quarters.

NAN reports that the last time Nigeria suffered a defeat in the Women’s Afrobasket was in 2015, during the semi-finals against Cameroon.

Looking ahead to the final on Saturday, D’tigress will face the winner between Senegal and Mali. With their remarkable track record and consistent performance in recent years, the Nigerian team is determined to secure yet another championship title.

In a post-match news conference, Rwanda’s Head Coach, Sheik Caar, acknowledged Nigeria’s prowess as a basketball powerhouse. He praised D’tigress for their proficiency in making three-pointers and the team’s impressive 45 percent shooting average. He noted the challenge his team faced against such formidable opponents and expressed the need to prepare harder for future encounters.

On the Nigerian side, Head Coach Rena Wakama, who had only two weeks to prepare the team, expressed joy and satisfaction over their resounding victory.