FIBA: D’Tigress Beat Mali, Qualify for 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup

The national senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, yesterday in Serbia, defeated Mali 73 to 69 to qualify for the 2022 FIBA World Cup scheduled to hold in Sydney, Australia, from September 22 to October 1.

Playing in Group D of the qualifiers, the Nigerian girls rose from a 76 to 90 defeat by China in their opening game to beat France 67 to 65 in their second game before yesterday’s victory over Mali confirmed their passage to Sydney.

The 24-year-old Nicole Enoabosi emerged the team’s top performer with 11 points, eight rebounds and one assist as the team clinched an automatic World Cup ticket.

Promise Amukamara was the creative force with eight assists and 10 points. Amy Okonkwo recorded 14 points while Atonye Nyingifa had 11 points.

Sports Minister, Sunday Dare, while reacting to the team’s performance, praised the team for making the nation proud and showing dogged determination in all their games.

In his reaction, Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) President, Musa Kida, traced the team’s continued success to a longterm plan that started at the 2017 Afrobasket. Stating that “ in 2018 in Spain, they became the first team from Africa to win two games at the FIBA World Cup and also first out of Africa to advance to the quarter finals.”

 

Source: The Guardian