Basketball: A Re-built D’Tigress Via Infusion of Home Talents Was Key in Nigeria Wining 4th FIBA Afrobasket Title:

- The Dare Antidote 

Prior to their jetting out to Rwanda, for the defence of their FIBA Women's Afrobasket title, many did not give the hurridly assembled team, with a new coaching set-up, the chance of making a good impression, talk more of matching the high standards set by their predicessors, the D'Tigress classes of Mali 2017, Senegal 2019 and Cameroun 2021.

Stemming from a deliberate policy by the Engr. Musa Kida led Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Board, and acting on the charge by former Minister of Sports Development, Chief Sunday Dare that elite federations in the country's sports should look inward, with a view of discovering, nurturing and exposing hidden talents to the world; the NBBF held three tryouts in Nigeria and the USA, and the outcome was the infusion of a few more unheralded home-based players, into the all conquering D'Tigress team, that just won for Nigeria and for themselves a fourth conservative, FIBA Afrobasket title.

The inclusion of home talents to the 12-woman D'Tigress roster that went to Kigali, and the passion the young thirsty ladies showed when given the opportunity to contribute to the team's exploits were simply amazing, and should not be over overemphasized.

Rather, the emphasis should be on the ability of Nigeria to still dominate the continent, without recycling our already known mega stars, based in the USA, France and all over the globe; and in doing so, the NBBF reaped the huge benefits of exposing raw talents, some with very little international experience and zero recognition. 

That the Kida team settled down and followed the prescription of the former Minister after a very stormy period, characterized by leadership tussle, and eventual withdrawal of Nigeria from the last FIBA Women's world cup in Sydney Australia; is also quite commendable.

Questions maybe asked about how the board parted ways with American Coach Otis Hughley, who steered the team to win the Afrobasket titles in Senegal 2019 and Cameroun 2021; but there is no doubting the fact that 31-year-old Rena Wakama; a Nigerian was hired and entrusted with the team; and she proved her mettle by winning all five matches including the final, thus becoming the first woman in history to win a FIBA Afrobasket crown. 

There's no doubt that that Nigeria is blessed with so many foriegn based players who always did well to serve the country whenever called upon to do so. They are core professionals and hugely talented, but there were always issues bothering on the cost of bringing them to play; the cost of tickets, allowances etc. 

Delays in paying them their allowances became a 

big problem also. The basket ball crisis had also shut out all home based talents as their was no local league; and Chief Dare accepted that the crisis taught the Ministry a lesson. 

The Ministry therefore demanded a rebuilding of the team, and in doing so there must be an infusion of our local content and the return of the local league.  

The outcome of the crises, the opportunities it created, and how the Sports Ministry and Board of NBBF turned the adversities into gains, are essentially why we are all celebrating Nigeria's triumph in Kigali, where the D'Tigress won their 4th FIBA Women's Afrobasket title.



Location: Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria

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