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.
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.
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.
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.