Rena Wakama promises Improved D’Tigress performance against Canada after loss to France

D’Tigress head coach Rena Wakama has assured Nigerian basketball fans that they will see an improved performance from the team in their final Group B match against Canada on Sunday at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The Nigerian women’s basketball team, who had previously secured a victory against Australia with a score of 75-62 on Monday, faced a setback yesterday when they lost to host nation France 75-54 in Lille.

The game against France saw D’Tigress trailing by nearly 20 points. Despite a strong start and a valiant effort to close the gap, Nigeria could not overcome the French team’s dominance.

D’Tigress finished the first quarter with a 24-20 deficit and were behind 38-31 at halftime. By the end of the third quarter, the score stood at 54-39, with France holding a 15-point lead.

Despite moments of brilliance from the Nigerian side, the French team maintained their lead and secured the win with a final score of 75-54.

Coach Wakama praised her players’ resilience and fighting spirit despite the defeat. “Our team played with heart and determination, but today France executed their game plan more effectively. We’ll learn from this and come back stronger,” Wakama said.

With the loss, Nigeria now turns their focus to the crucial match against Canada on Sunday, which will determine their progression to the quarter-finals. The game is set to begin at 12:30 pm West African Time.

“While we are disappointed with the result against France, we are motivated to put in a strong performance against Canada. A win will ensure our place in the next round,” Wakama added.

D’Tigress are aiming to make history as the first African nation to reach the quarter-finals of the Olympic basketball competition, following their achievement as the first African women’s team to win a group stage game at the Olympics.