14th May, 2018
The Senior Women’s National Basketball Team, D’Tigress have pitted against Australia, Turkey and Argentina for the 2018 FIBA Women’s World Cup coming up in Spain in September.
The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) under the leadership of Musa Kida on Monday said all modalities would be put into work to see the team prepared well for the championship.
Kida told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone that all hands would be on deck to ensure that the players fly high in the group which is dubbed “group of death’’.
According to Kida, Nigeria’s women basketball has come of age and with proper preparations the team can excel beyond expectation.
“We are confident of a very good outing in Spain, in spite of being in the same group with Australia, Turkey, the 4th and 7th best teams in the world; we cannot allow any form of intimidation.
“We must prepare the best way and ensure we take the best players to the competition which we earned going by our heroics as the Queens of Africa in Mali in 2017,’’ Kida said.
He also said that the team led by veteran coach, Sam Vincent, would be camped in Atlanta Georgia, U.S.
D’Tigress will start her first match against the Aussies on Sept. 22 at the Arena Santiago Martin, San Crsitobal de La Laguna Spain.
Kida called on corporate organisations and well-meaning individuals to support the federation financially to ensure that the girls were adequately prepared for the challenges ahead.
The provisional list of invited players for the team’s second World Cup appearance is expected to be released soon.
The NBBF recently reviewed the membership of the management and coaching crew of the men and women’s national teams to enhance their efficiency.
Sam Vincent will lead the team to the World Cup, while the head coach of First Bank Women’s basketball club of Lagos, Peter Ahmedu, retains his position as the assistant coach.
Ex-international Mactabene Amachree takes up the position of the General Manager, while Sola Shomala of First Deep Water, Nigeria, replaces Coach Ochuko Okworogun of Dolphins Club of Nigeria.
Nigeria qualified for her first World Cup in 2006 in Brazil but failed to win any game as it dropped out of the group stage.