Sharon Ekhiwere
The defending champions of the FIBA women’s afrobasket, The D’Tigresses of Nigeria on Friday morning dispatched the Democratic Republic of Congo in a highly impressive game.
It was their first game of the championship yet they showed class and style, defeating three times Champions, DR Congo 69-35.
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Despite not having the best pre-tournament preparations they desired, the Nigerian ladies started fantastically at the BK Arena, Kigali, winning the first quarter 16-8.
The second quarter was not short of excellence as the D’Tigresses also won 13-10, totalling 29-18 in the entire first half.
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Nigeria resumed the second half with more firepower, scoring 17 points to DR Congo’s 14 points in the third quarter. They finished the game strongly as they hand a 20 points lead in the final quarter with their opponents only managing 3 points.
The standout performance for the D’Tigresses was Ifunaya Okoro of Kenya Sports Authority basketball Club who scored 11 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Elizabeth Balogun of Duke University (USA) also scored 11 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists; Sarah Ogoke(Shooting Guard) of Ferroviaro Maputo (of Mozambique) got 10 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists.
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Ehab El-Alfy’s led Egypt are the next opponents of the D’Tigresses at the BK Arena, Kigali, Rwanda on Sunday by 2 PM Nigerian time.