By: Chinedum Ohanusi
Renowned basketball promoter Mr. Igoche Mark has charged the Nigeria senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress to aim even higher, by building on their landmark victory over a highly rated Australian side, in their opening Group match, at the Paris 2024 Olympics, on Monday.
Nigeria, six-time Afrobasket Champions steered by 32-year-old Rena Wakama were on the front foot all through the game, and led with as many as 13 points, at halftime against the Aussies, who are ranked 3rd by FIBA, basketball’s global governing body.
In a letter of congratulations to the team, Mr. Mark the initiator of the annual Mark D’ Ball tournament regularly held Oturkpo, Benue State and Abuja reckoned that, “the players displayed incredible resilience and determination throughout the contest to comfortably defeat the third ranked FIBA team 75-62.
In the absence of Star Girl, Sarah “Cheeks” Ogoke; Ezinne Kalu led the way for D’Tigress with a game-high 19 points, complemented by 5 Assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals.
Amy Amukamara also impressed with 14 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists, and 4 steals, while Amy Okonkwo weighed in with 13 points.
Mr. Mark further expressed his hopes that the historic victory, would spur team Nigeria to achieve more wins, and medals at the Paris Olympics; “by no means, this victory will be etched in the annals of Olympics Basketball folklore, and the joy it has brought to followers of the slam and dunk game in Nigeria and in the diaspora, will surely reverberate for a long time. I therefore urge the ladies to leverage on the triumph against Australia as a springboard to attain greater heights and return home with an Olympic medal”.
The soft spoken Mark, who also founded and funded the now Mark Mentors, a basketball franchise based in Abuja, urged the players and coaching crew of D’Tigress not to settle for less, nor be overtly satisfied with Monday’s triumph; “with this win, you have announced yourselves as a team to be reckoned with, and you should see it as the requisite fuel needed to propel you farther”.
He reminded the team to avoid being distracted, and focus their sights on replicating the feat against France on Thursday, before wrapping up their Pool B campaign against Canada before going for the ultimate prize, the bull’s eye – the Olympic Gold medal.
Remarkably, the victory is coming on the heels of an altercation between the players and officials of the D’Tigress on one hand, the Sports Ministry and Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) on the other hand, and organizers of the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, who turned away the players from the Boat Ride, on Friday.
