Izuchukwu Okosi
Nigeria’s women’s basketball national team, D’Tigress on Friday tipped off to a brilliant start at the 2023 women’s Afrobasket championship as they defeated the Democratic Republic of Congo 69-35 in their opening game at the BK Arena, Kigali, Rwanda.
The Nigerians were ruthless against the Congolese in a lop-sided encounter and were ahead by 16-8 in the first quarter, and 29-18 at the break.
Things went the way the African champions wanted. They controlled the match, even forcing the Congolese to come up short also in the second quarters.
Nigeria have dominated the previous meetings between both nations as they have won in their last six matches, the Congolese have never won. As a result, Nigeria hold a 7-0 series over DR Congo.
Midway through the first quarter in Friday, D’Tigress enjoyed a brilliant 10-minute spell and comfortably took the score to 22-8.
Nigeria then executed their game plan perfectly, gradually extending their lead to 29-18 at half-time, before extending their advantage to 18 points with 1’24 remaining in the third quarter.
DR Congo had their moments but ultimately they lost to the Nigerians whose preparations for the tournament were distorted by internal wranglings in the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF).
It will be recalled that some experienced basketball superstars abroad expressed dismay over the running of the game by the administrators which led to an open camping ahead of the tournament in Rwanda.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
