In what could be described as record-setting and trail-blazing performances and well-deserved glories, the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), like millions of Nigerian basketball fans, enthusiasts and stakeholders, all over the world, are basking in the euphoria and remarkable feats of the country’s representatives in different categories at the Olympics in Paris, and African continentals in Abidjan.
Setting the pace was the historic feat achieved by the reigning Women Afrobasket champions, the D’Tigress, who qualified for Africa’s first-ever quarter-finals stage at the Olympics games, after defeating Australia the 3rd, and Canada the 5th world-rated basketball team in the world.
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Undaunted by the blip in the second game loss to the host nation, France, Nigeria’s D’Tigress rose to the occasion to defeat Canada by 79 to 70, against all odds, to reach a historic quarter-finals stage at the Olympics. This makes Nigeria the first African national team, male or female, to achieve this historic feat.
In another pleasant development, the youth development program of the NBBF is reaping the desired dividends, as the National U-18 male and female teams also recorded huge and inspiring victories against their opposition in the FIBA Zone 3 U-18 qualifying tournament for the African Cup tournament to in South Africa, and U19 World Cup next year. Both U18 men’s and women’s teams have picked up the tickets to represent FIBA Zone 3 in South Africa.
Reacting to these developments, President of Nigeria Basketball Federation, Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida, was effusive in praises for the senior and junior teams of Nigeria, on their Olympic and continental feats, which he noted, is a testament to the unrelenting efforts of the NBBF, to continually develop and grow the game in Nigeria, which has continued to produce record-setting performances consistently.
Kida, while congratulating Nigeria’s representatives, thanked other members of the NBBF board, who have remained stoical and committed to the programmes of the NBBF, and remarked that all the feats achieved so far, have been a collective effort.
He went ahead to reiterate the confidence of the NBBF and Nigerians in the abilities of D’Tigress to shock the world and inspire the youth.
Kida was equally confident that the conveyor belts of the game in Nigeria, would continue to produce younger and better talents, that would continuously put Nigeria on a good stead on the continental and global levels.
The NBBF President also thanked all Nigerians for their massive support to the D’Tigress, especially, the congratulatory messages received from the Honourable Minister of Sports, Sen. John Owan Enoh and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which will surely, ginger the D’Tigress, to put on their best in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
