Nigeria Basketball grabbed world wide headlines after the D’Tigress broke a 20 year old jinx by defeating Australia’s Opal, thereby recording their first victory at the Olympics after twenty years.
Still basking in the euphoria of the D’Tigress’ success the Nigeria U18 Women Basketball team will be seeking to break a 14 years old jinx of non appearance at FIBA U18 Women’s AfroBasket championship at the FIBA Zone 3 qualifiers which begins on Wednesday August 31st, 2024 in Abidjan.
The Nigeria U18 Women National Basketball team ( Junior D’Tigress) last appeared at the FIBA U18 Women Championship in 2010, for the girls to make a dream return to championship after 14 years they need to outsmart the host Cote D’Ivoire and fellow West African neighbour Liberia who are making a return to the games after a long suspension due leadership tussle in their association.
The three countries will battle for the sole ticket in the regional qualifier for the main event in South Africa later in August where the 2024 FIBA U18 Women’s AfroBasket is scheduled to take place in Johannesburg.
But they need to win the first battle in the qualifier which will take place from July 31 to August 4.
The winner of the sole ticket will join South Africa, Angola, Cameroon, Egypt, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Uganda and Zambia who have qualified already.
The Nigeria team will have their hands full against the host who have been consistent with qualifying for the main event with respectable five time silver medal podium finish to contend with, but with the hunger of returning to the cadet main showpiece since 2014 and playing at home gives an added advantage.
Nigeria has only attended just two previous Final Rounds in 2008 and 2010 with a silver medal to show for it but the recent success of the main D’Tigress can be a source of inspiration as the current set of U18 girls are determined to go all the way and return to the old glory days.
