Women Afrobasket: Umar Hopeful Of D’Tigress Success

President of the Nigeria
Basketball Federation (NBBF) Tijani Umar has said he was optimistic that the D’Tigress could surprise Africa by winning the on-going Women Afrobasket in Mozambique.
D’Tigress had on Saturday bounced back from Friday’s opening game loss to Angola to defeat Kenya 74-49 in their second game.
Umar told newsman in Abuja that he was sure the D’Tigress would improve with every game at the 2013 Women African Basketball Championship holding in Maputo.
“The staying power will show at the end of the day. Basketball is not any kind of sport. We are stretching ourselves, so that this country will always be represented.
“The national women team is full of talent, but talent can only take you to a certain level. Beyond that, investment, preparation and sustainability in everything you do make you a champion,’’ he said.
The NBBF president said the Nigerian senior women basketball team’s loss to Angola should not be used as a yardstick to judge them.
“Don’t forget that yesterday was a clash of current champions and former champions, and our girls led them all through and when we played the second and third quarters we were at par,’’ Umar said.
D’Tigress will face their Malian counterparts on Sunday in their next group encounter.
They will also take on Cameroon today in their last group match.
D’ Tigress, two-time champions of the tournament, are in Group B with defending champions Angola, 2007 champions Mali, Cameroon, Cape Verde and Kenya.
The tournament which started on September 20 in Maputo will end on September 29.