₦airaland Forum

The game against Mozambique was edgy and tough. Today's game against Rwanda will show if this Dtigress squad has depth and can go all the way to win the trophy. I don't think Nigeria will lose to Rwanda. The hosts will have the home crowd behind them and will play to the gallery. This will be their undoing as the Dtigress will use deadly counterattack moves to finish them off. Nigeria is not Uganda, you know.

@ Coach Rena, use deadly counter attacks and rebounds to Nigeria's advantage.

PDPGuy:
Coach Wakama is only 31?! 🙆🏾 I had always thought she was way older

Most likely her real age. She was born in the USA where genuine birth certificates are issued and where documentation is taken seriously.

starstaz:
This Uganda Nigeria tie is too close to be called hypertension session. And for this singular reason, I swear that all the exco members that were involved in disbandment of our formidable 3times back to back champions including Sunday Dare, will not perish well "sportically" speaking.

How can we paraded a diluted team to an African championship that has become our birth right. As far as am concerned, a sequence of 5 to 7 championship is our birth right if only we keep it good off field (administrative set up) and on field by using quality and tested players .


This country tire person.

This diluted team will get to the final and win this trophy. Many of our ladies in the cuttent D'tigress squad are playing their first Afrobasket. So, they are just learning game by game. Cheers.

Odogwujayy:
Committed lots of fouls in this game. The Mozambique girls couldn't convert most of their free throws.

I said it that the other teams in this tournament also have their weaknesses. Our team is not the perfect team that we want, but this crop of D'tigress are no pushovers. We can win this Afrobasket . The trophy is not out of our reach. Against Rwanda, I expect a better performance from D'tigress.

PDPGuy:
Confirmed!

D’Tigress quarterfinal game on Wednesday tips off at 8pm on Wednesday, August 2

Nigeria has a good team at this year's Afrobasket. If Mozambique tries to stop Amy Okonkwo, we can draw lots of fouls and take advantage of the free throws to amass points. Hopefully, Ogoke will be at her best tomorrow. I want Dtigress to get to the final. Cheers.

PDPGuy:
Winner of today’s game between Mozambique and Cote D’ Ivoire

Dtigress will play Mozambique. I was hoping it would be Ivory Coast . Mozambique is not a bad team. They are also contenders fot the title. Our ladies have to improve on their 3 points shots and be ultra offensive against the Mozambicans. Sarah Ogoke and Ifunaya Okoro should have a deep insight about the Mozambique team. The two of them have good experience playing on the African continent against African opposition. We are at the stage of elimination now. Dtigress have to lift their game.

We just need to improve on our 3 pointers , should we meet a team that has great defensive abilities. A game against Mozambique will put our ladies and Coach Rena on their toes. All the teams will focus on Amy Okonkwo now, leaving space for Nicole Enabosi and Murjanatu to thrive. If Dtigress continues to improve, Nigeria can win this tournament.

lovewins:
Great game by the girls. Our defence has been our biggest positive but our shooting percentage is concerning. We had

32% from 2pt shooting
21% from 3pt shooting
66% from free throws

Amy Okonkwo was the star of the day. She led the team in points scored, rebounds and steals. She had:

29points
13 Rebounds
3 steals

Murjanatu Musa showed up in a big way. She had

18 points (61.54%)
7 rebounds

We had 3 members of the team on double points; Nicole being the 3rd with 10 points

I told you we have not seen the best of Musa Murjanatu yet. Same with Ifunaya Okoro. Every game we play will show a new revelation about the so called inexperienced players of this current D'tigress squad. The quarter finals will be tougher as no team wants to lose at that stage. Sarah Ogoke will do well in the next game. Watch out for her.

Coach Rena Wakama

She is the only female coach at this year's Afrobasket. One of her major strengths is that she is not only a Coach, but a total basketball administrator. She has experience in managing a team and overseeing all matters concerning teams towards ensuring victory. This experience runs in contrast to the male coaches who might just be on court coaches. And she has been successful in the past. Check her stats .

MSGAMBLE9:
The issue am pondering on right now is that they (Senegal) might not top their group... which means we might face them as early has the quarter-final or Semis instead of the final...


Even the Malians not in sync yet so I totally agree with you... this Tourney would have been a "strool in the park' for the Ezinne Kalu's Geng...

If we meet Senegal at this year's Afrobasket, victory over Senegal will boil down to great coaching from Coach Rena. I don't think our ladies will be afraid of Senegal. No fears, bro. We have a good team, though a good number of Dtigress players at this tourney are rookies Afrobasket wise. It does not mean that our girls are inexperienced. Many of them have played for teams/clubs that have won championships in College, Africa or Leagues. Our team is still gelling. Yes, Ezinne Kalu and the last batch of Dtigress are more experienced, but I don't think they are more talented that our current squad.

lovewins:
They took Mali to the wire too yesterday. So not surprised at their performance so far. Currently leading by 1 point. They may just win this game.

Senegal will square up against Mali next. The Senegalese won't have it easy against the Malian ladies who will be looking to progress to the Quarter Finals. I believe we are yet to see the best of our ladies- Ifunnaya Okoro, Pallas Akpanah, Tomi Taiwo and Murjanatu. I can't wait until tomorrow. Game on

[quote author=MSGAMBLE9 post=124743136]The way they are dominating the second ball at both ends remind me of early insanely motivated King James...


Senegal might need overtime here....[/quote


Senegal has lost their first game to Uganda . I told you that some teams are overrated at this year's Afrobasket for women in Rwanda. Dtigress just needs to work on their mistakes and weaknesses going forward and we can at least get to the final. Cheers.

PDPGuy:
Uganda are suhrprisingly close to Senegal

I am interested in this game . The Senegalese had to bring Astou Traore out of retirement. The Egyptian ladies will give DTigress a tough time tomorrow. We need to take the game to the Egyptians tomorrow. I believe in this crop of Dtigress players though. What is the situation with Lauren Ebo? I don't believe she came all the way to camp in Abuja, only not to feature for Nigeria in Kigali .

lovewins:
Don't talk like this. You're more knowledgeable than this.

Stats is literally the epicenter of basketball. The importance of stats in basketball compared to football isn't the same. We hope the girls improve but don't in a bid to excuse their deficiencies today talk down on the importance of stats.

I think the girls will improve in the next game. We are yet to see the best of Amy Okonkwo and Sarah Ogoke. Let's get to the knockout stages first. We should be wary of Cameroun and Mali too.

It seems Lauren Ebo is not part of the squad. Nicole Enabosi played today from what I gathered online. Will Ebo feature for Nigeria in Kigali? Please someone clarify for me. Thanks.

MSGAMBLE9:
Coupled with over 22 turnovers,14 in first half alone... Improvement over is needed fast, else Senegal and Ivory coast will roast us...

If it was by stats, the Super Falcons would not defeat Australia yesterday. This d'tigress squad will improve with every game. Who was the team's captain by the way? How will Ivory Coast defeat Nigeria?

Nigerfine3:
My friend and his wife once made such decision. I advised against it, they said that thier definition of success is THEIR KIDS SCHOOLING IN USA.
7 years down the line, one kid in university, others doing well in high school but parents have been living from hand to mouth.
There isn't anything you could do with accounting degree. You would surely start afresh with other jobs that feeds you and family without savings.
The kids enjoy free secondary education, you labour Latour Latour. If you are the kind that can't stand having savings per month, you might not survive it.
Go to oyo, osun, states or ilaro side in ogun state, get big farm land against next year.
You can farm up to 100 acres of cassava, under good farm manager( with help of locals too), you would make unimaginable profit after one year.
Invest the remaining money in little thing to feed family before the harvest starts.
Planting season starts March, buy land learn it next year start work

Oh, my God. Why are you spilling out these secrets? Let them leave Nigeria for us. Cheers.

lovewins:
The D'Tigress departed Nigeria for Rwanda this morning. 5 players in camp were dropped from the team:

Nkem Akaraiwe
Jessica Onaibe
Amanda Okanagan
Mac-Dangosu and
Joy Ebiega.

The suprise however is that Erica Ogwumike is said to be in her way to Rwanda to join the team, further bringing to light the hypocrisy of the NBBF. I love Eric's and her stats her fantastic, but how does someone who never came for tryouts, never made camp and hasn't been actively playing basketball since 2021 make the team. What happened to the hypocritical no tryout not roster policy.

Can you see what I've been saying Redman44?

Was also surprised to learn Sarah ogoke also didn't make camp. She however made the team it appears. Interesting stuff.

Erica Ogwumike won't be in Kigali for the Afrobasket. She couldn't make it as she is Medical School. Sarah Ogoke was at the tryout in America. She must have impressed Coach Wakama to be given a spot on the roster.

I am contemplating leaving my current job. SMH

Amy Okonkwo is in Camp. She has arrived the Abuja training camp of D'tigress. Check the attached photograph. Cheers.

Amy is being hugged by Coach Wakama.

Rena Wakama

Nigeria's chances at the 2023 Women's Afrobasket will be down to Coaching. Seriously good COACHING. We have talented players in Camp no doubt. If Rena Wakama can marshal the ladies well, D'tigress may win the tourney for the 4th time in a row. Can Coach Rena out-think all the other Coaches that will lead teams in Rwanda in a few days time? D'tigress must have a different strategy for every game in Kigali. I believe Rena knows her onions as I have done some research online about her. If she channels her inner coaching insights and technical know-how in Kigali, Nigeria can win the gold medal. Cheers.

The 2017 camp for the D'tigress towards that year's Afrobasket for Women featured 29 players fighting for 12 shirts. So why the hullabaloo this year about an Open Tryout? No D'tigress player has the right to an automatic shirt . The camping for the 2017 Afrobasket was about one week and we won the Gold Medal. Things currently are not very different from 2017. Players like Ezinne Kalu, Adaora, Amukamara etc also got selected by attending tryouts or getting invitations to camp at one point or the other. Open Camping gives more players the chance to compete for a shirt to play for Nigeria at the Afrobasket. Enabosi and the others should have attended the open tryouts in the USA if they are keen to play in Kigali.

Nigeria has lots of players trying to get into the team. Lets give potential D'tigress player out there a chance to play for Nigeria. Thanks

@lovewins, I also have fears about the chances of this new squad retaining the trophy in Kigali, Rwanda. However, it is pertinent to note that the other teams in the tournament have their own weaknesses. I know Senegal and Mali would want to defeat Nigeria this time around. Our match ups with them at Afrobasket 2023 will be thrilling . I am happy that D'tigress is already being underestimated. Being the dark horse is an advantage to this D'tigress Squad.

About the lack of 3 point shooters in this squad, I will say you should be cautious in your assertion. Do you remember the 2018 world Cup when we played against Turkey? Sarah Ogoke sank about 22 points in that game, and most of those points were 3 pointers. Ogoke is a good 3 points shooter, you know. Any player can rise to the occasion on any day. Ogoke's 3 pointers helped D'tigress defeat Turkey that day. Now, you talked about stats. Have you actually watched any game or several games played by Ifunnaya Okoro for her club in Kenya? Did you get any stats on her? Even Nkem Akaraiwe shoots fire on her good day on the court. Lets say I am a football player and I don't score much goals for my club. Can you rightly say I won't score four goals in a serious match if the opportunities are created for me by my team mates? It is Afrobasket, my brother. Everyone wants to win. I believe our ladies will improve with each game. I want us to get to the final match, so that we can play in the olympic qualifiers. Babes like Amukamara and Enabosi can still play for D'tigress in the future.

lovewins:
Ok then. Didn't know they were in Abuja.

Nicole also had a fantastic season btw. So if they wanted to extend same courtesy to young players Nicole should have been invited.

Elizabeth Balogun didn't make the camp in Chicago. Neither did Liz Dixon (who was dropped cause she just got signed by the Phoenix Mercury to a hardship contract). I know Lauren Ebo and Tomi attended the Chicago tryout. Not sure who the other 2 are though.

My point is, the tryout attendance standard wasn't strictly followed. Even if you are angry with the team, why not extend invitation to members of the team who her relatively younger like Nicole and Promise.

Was waiting for your review as promised. I have checked the stats of all the players and we would have problems making 3p shots. Amy is probably the only one with a significant 3p% in the team. Once we play a team that effectively defends their paint as are done.

I have attached the picture of Musa Murjanatu and Nkem Akaraiwe at the Abuja tryout event to my earlier post. About this squad not having 3 point shooters, I will say a big HMMN.

lovewins:
Not quite.

I read the statement and the only surprise I had was the NBBF openly acknowledging their beef with the girls as a major reason they declared open trials. The bad blood also is one way (NBBF to the girls) and not the other way round.

First, the girls weren't withdrawn from the world cup cause of the video, that's not true they were withdrawn cause of the tussle in the NBBF leadership. It's funny this guy's want to rewrite recent history. The video of the girls had nothing to do with it, even though it was the pretext Sunday Dare used to convince Buhari to get authorization for that decision. You'll remember it was after that he set up his own league board (can't remember the name) to organise an abridged league in Abuja.

Also, the girls though disrespected didn't boycott the tryouts They had been reaching out to the NBBF to get information on camping and all and got no information. There was information that kept coming up that they were going to boycott afrobasket and they kept coming out to dispute this as untrue. . Many were willing to still attend. The only reason they didn't is because they were unsure what the motive of the NBBF was. If the tryouts was designed to punish them and getting them out of the team, attending it won't change it. They'll however have spent thousands of dollars in hotel bills and logistics for something they were never going to get in.

Also, Sarah ogoke and Pallas were the only member of previous squad that attended tryouts. If tryouts were the only means of making the team how is Amy, Nkem, Musa in the camp? Many other college girls currently on the list didn't attend tryouts. Only 5 attended in Chicago.

And to the money issues, haven't they spent much more organizing these tryouts than simply inviting the same squad to camp? Cause now the girls didn't just pay their way to tryouts they also flew themselves to Abuja. Couldn't Kida have told the girls that they do not have money and anyone who wishes to participate in afrobasket will be doing so at their own cost and then a roll call of those willing taken?

They are simply using the future of Nigerian basketball to settle personal scores.

Nkem Akaraiwe and Musa Murjanatu attended the tryout event in eitther Abuja or Lagos. I saw the photographs and the duo were there. Amy got a wildcard invitation for final camping due to her present form. I have attached the photograph. Nkem and Musa Murjanatu are in the back row.

lovewins:
First, I'll always root for th girls to win. Nigeria is bigger than any of us and our hope is that we get better despite the incompetence of the federation. This however doesn't mean when we make analysis we should let out emotions becloud facts.

I already mentioned that we had a few D'Tigress players in the list and singles out Amy and Elizabeth as the ones I'm excited about.Amy by the way is having an MVP season in Mexico and they are in playoffs. Don't know how she's supposed to make camp in the middle of that. Sarah is a veteran player with a lot of experience, but she was a reserve player the last few years and that's facts. She also doesn't have fantastic stats. Musa and Nkem have been a part of the team like you rightly noted but we're also reserve players under Otis and they barely got any playing time My comment on "terrible stats was primarily for the new entrant's and was again a factual statement and doesn't necessarily mean they won't do well, but it leaves room for concern. Tomi and Ebo (who I have followed for quite some time now) are probably outliers.

The players that were Reserves under Otis Hughley were the best players in the Nigerian league. I have been following Dtigress since 2005. Nkem Akaraiwe has always been a good player but she did not get enough minutes at the 2018 FIBA World Cup. Same with Nkechi Akashili who was the best home based player in 2018. She was at that year's world Cup in Spain but she did not get good playing time on court. She is now retired. It is the new faces in this squad that will pull surprises in Rwanda. Personally, I think NBBF has tried with this list. Yes, many of these ladies don't have international experience but this squad can get to the final in Rwanda. I will give an indepth analysis of this squad and Nigeria's chances in Rwanda later today. Cheers.

lovewins:
A few of the former squad were included (None were starters). Amy Okonkwo and maybe Elizabeth Balogun is the only ones I am excited about. The stats of these players are terrible.

Bro, teams come and go. I have read the profiles of some of the new players. Okoro Ifunaya is playing for Kenya Ports Authority. She knows the African terrain very well. And she scores a lot of points per game . She has impressive stats. Then we have Musa Murjanatu who was the best home based player 2 years ago. Many Collegiate players in the USA are also in Camp and their stats are not that bad. Many of the American College basketball players in Camp might not have international basketball experience ( FIBA ) but they will learn game by game in Rwanda .I will give a deeper analysis of this new squad later today on Twitter and also here .We have good players in Camp. Aisha Mohammed is back as player development coach. She played for Nigeria at the 2018 world Cup and many Afrobasket tourneys .Let's support Rena and the new Squad .

hismail1:
Amy and Balogun will only do their best, the whole thing just looks disorganised tbh. Senegal would just be laughing wherever they're.

Don't write off this provisional squad, bro. Underestimate this squad at your peril. Yes, we have many new faces in camp as expected, but they can pull off a surprise in Rwanda. Amy Okonkwo and Sarah Ogoke were at the last Afrobasket in Cameroun. Nkem Akaraiwe is also a experienced DTigress player. Akaraiwe was at the FIBA World Cup in 2018. Pallas Akpanah is also in Camp. She is a reserve Dtigress player. Balogun Elizabeth played at the Olympics Qualifiers in 2020 for Nigeria. I believe it up time for the players who have not gotten enough playing time to step up to the occasion.

lovewins:
First things first, there is no camp. What they had was a tryout and they even had to cancel the second day of tryouts cause of the turnouts. It's 18 days to the tournament and we don't have a camp yet.

Sarah ogoke was the only member of the squad that made the team. It's instructive to note Sarah herself wasn't a principal member of the squad. She didn't make the Olympics team and she's one of the very few in the squad who doesn't have a sterling professional career. These are all verifiable facts.

I don't have issues with home based players being a part of the squad. As a matter of fact, I am a big advocate of developing local talents. The challenge though is we haven't had a league in Nigeria since 2016, the best we've had has been a few days of abridged competitions. So at best these players are very rusty and it will show especially when competing against teams that have been in camp since June. Not saying we can't even pull it off, but it is very unlikely.

Ogoke was key member of the Afrobasket winning teams- 2017, 2019 and 2021. She even played at the 2018 FIBA Women's World Cup. I respect your other points. The squad for the 2023 Women's Afrobasket has not been announced yet though. Lets wait and see.

Danielnino00:
I don't know what the NBBF intends to achieve with this tryout.... Aside the fact that it shows a lack of respect for the players who have been with the team for long, there is the issue of holding the try out in Nigeria where we don't have a functioning league.....

We might just be about to witness a decline in our fortune in international basketball

The team the NBBF is putting together under the watch of Coach Wakama can't be weaker than the 2017 Dtigress squad that won that year's Afrobasket in Mali. Dtigress squad got stronger after 2017 with Victoria Macaulay, Ify Ibekwe, Liz Balogun, Pallas Akpanah, odera chidom etc being brought in to fortify the team by Otis Hughley. Yes, shit has happened but we can still get to the final of this year's Afrobasket in Kigali. Let's see the final squad first. Cheers.

lovewins:
What this implies is that we may just have signed ourselves out of the 2024 Olympics. Beyond winning another title, this Afrobasket also serves as a pre-qualification for the 2024 Olympics. Africa has only 2 slots meaning only finalists will get a chance to fight for an Olympic spot. Our administrators however are still organising tryouts 19 days to said competition to pick a new team to camp when exactly?

We don't know the players in Dtigress camp at the moment. I know Sarah Ogoke is there already. Ogoke has been a member of the 2017, 2019 and 2021 Dtigress Afrobasket winning squads. The home based players that have been penned down are the likes of Theresa Dangosu, Musa Murjanatu etc. These home based players are not bad though. If 5 of the last squad members make it to camp, Nigeria stands a chance in Rwanda this month. Our squad will be a mix of our best home based players and some talented Nigerian-American players from the American Collegiate System.

carbonado:
Any news on our beautiful and dedicated queens, well just some few days time, we will know if they will show up,however, i believe the ladies will show up. NBBF is looking for ways to disband the team without out cry from the public hence they are using cunny cunny way. Some people in NBBF did not like that the ladies did not back down, hence they are looking for the type of players that they will tell sit down there, even if their bonuses have not been paid for months, not these queens... ....I just wish they see what game the NBBF is playing and side step them, Let NBBF with their full chest come out and say we disband the team, then the world will ask why, However, if they do not show up, they will use that against them.....Any scenerio that happens i will always love these set..They put us on the map, i just feel we can medal at France, i sncerely do, especially if we do not run into USA.

Elonu Adaora, Ify Ibekwe, Ezinne Kalu and the others are American born and bred. So they know their rights. They are not local players that can be manipulated. Honestly, we can't win this year's Women's Afro basket with local players or an inexperienced team. The Malians and Senegalese teams have been fortified with foreign born players. So we need our best team at the tourney. We can bring in 2-3 new players , as long as they are experienced playing in the European Leagues or WNBA or American Collegiate System.