Sports
Afrobasket Competition: Raptors Defeat D’Tigress
Nigeria’s D’Tigress lost to Raptors Basketball Club of Lagos 71-55 in their first test match ahead of the 2017 Afrobasket Women competition.Thegame, played last Wednesday evening inside the Indoor Sports Hall of the Lagos National Stadium was witnessed by Vice President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, Babs Oguande and two board members, Col Samuel Ahmedu (rtd) and Felix Awogu with impressive turnout of fans.
The Division 1 side led by Charles Ibeziako led with 10 points in the opening minutes of the 1st quarter, a prelude to the loss by the national team handled on the night by Peter Ahmedu.
Despite making a steady recovery into the game, it was a case of too little too late as the Senior Women’s National Team trailed by 25points to 14 at the end of the 1st quarter.
The second quarter saw a D’Tigress team with a high level of mental alertness, defensive discipline and good attacking moves as they took the initiative from the Raptors team who were desperate to make an impression after missing an automatic promotion to the Premier League at the end of the 2016 season.
The players all conspired to allow the opposition score just two baskets while D’Tigress scored 16 points to end the game at 30-28 in their favour at the end of the 2nd quarter.
Raptors used physical advantage in the 3rd quarter, punishing D’Tigress with series of fast breaks after the team failed to deal with many rebounds.
D’Tigress only managed 10 more points to their scores as Raptors stretched open the lead by 56-38.
Speaking after the game, the team’s assistant coach, Peter Ahmedu who stood in for the head coach, Sam Vincent expressed delight in the team . Ahmedu said that the team will get better after one or two more friendlies before jetting out to Bamako for the Afrobasket competition
“With what I have seen so far, I am very impressed because this is the first game we are playing together since the arrival of the foreign players from the United States of America.
“Managing over 20 girls on the bench was another problem. To look at them and pass instruction was another problem.”
He promised to go back to the drawing board, make the necessary corrections with the technical crew headed by Sam Vincent who arrived Lagos on Wednesday.
On the other side, Ibeziako of Raptors described playing against the national team as a big opportunity, days before representing the country at Africa’s largest women’s basketball fiesta.
Tonye Orabere
Gialuigui Donnarumma (Italy and Man City)
One of the greatest strikers of the past 15 years, Poland’s Robert Lewandowski, is among the big names who will not be playing at the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico.
The 37-year-old Barcelona striker, who has scored 89 goals for his country, was not able to inspire his side as they lost 3-2 in Stockholm against Sweden in Tuesday’s play-off final.
Lewandowski, who won the German Bundesliga title on 10 occasions, twice with Borussia Dortmund and then in eight successive seasons with Bayern Munich, before winning La Liga twice with Barca, may have played in his last major international tournament.
Lewandowski captained Poland at the World Cup in 2018, but did not score in Russia as his country came bottom of the group. He had a better tournament four years later in Qatar, scoring twice as Poland reached the last 16 before losing to France.
He netted four times in Group G in 2026 qualifying only for Poland to finish three points behind the Netherlands, before losing to Sweden on Tuesday.
Gialuigui Donnarumma (Italy and Man City)
Another star that will be missing in action at the mundial is Gialuigui Donnarumma of Italy.
Italy lost in the World Cup play-offs for a third successive qualifying tournament
Gianluigi Donnarumma has been one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League this season since he moved from Paris St-Germain for £26m in September, after helping the French club win the Champions League last season.
Despite being player of the tournament as Italy won the 2020 European Championship, he misses out on a World Cup again after Italy lost 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday.
Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund and Guinea)
Serhou Guirassy is Fourth in the list of Bundesliga top scorers this season
Serhou Guirassy has established himself as one of most prolific strikers playing in Europe, with 62 goals in the German Bundesliga over the past three seasons, while no player scored more than his 13 goals in the Champions League in 2024-25.
But he will not be at the World Cup as his country Guinea went out in the first round of African qualifying, finishing fourth in their group, with only four wins and three draws from their 10 matches.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia and PSG)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia helped Paris St-Germain become European champions last season, scoring in the 5-0 final win over Inter Milan, and he came 12th in the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards.
But Georgia had a miserable campaign in World Cup qualifying as they only picked up three points from a group that contained Spain, Turkey and Bulgaria.
Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray and Nigeria)
Victor Osimhen has scored 26 goals for club and country this season
Victor Osimhen helped Napoli win Serie A in 2023 before moving to Galatasaray, where he grabbed 26 goals in 30 games to take them to the Turkish title last season.
Nigeria drew five of their 10 matches in the first group phase as they finished one point behind winners South Africa, but then had a second chance in the following play-off.
With Osimhen already substituted, Nigeria lost on penalties to DR Congo to miss out on the World Cup.
Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool and Hungary)
Dominik Szoboszlai has scored 12 goals for Liverpool this season
Liverpool and Hungary midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has impressed this season and scored some stunning long-range goals.
But he will not be at the World Cup after his country let a 2-1 lead slip in their final group game with the Republic of Ireland scoring twice in injury time to clinch a spot in the play-offs and eliminate Hungary.
Female wrestlers in action at Governor Diri Wrestling Classics.
Ondo State wrestlers dominated the women’s events on Day six of the fourth Governor Douye Diri Wrestling Classics in Yenagoa on Monday, claiming gold medals in two of the four women’s freestyle categories.
African champion Khadijat Idris of Ondo State led the charge in the 55kg division, defeating rising talent Mary Ayeloh of Bayelsa State by technical superiority to claim gold. Happiness Soso of Delta State and Augustine Rhoda of Lagos State took bronze medals in the category.
Damola Ojo also flew the Ondo flag proudly in the 76kg event, retaining her title after defeating all opponents in a round-robin format. Nigeria Army wrestler Laide Ojo settled for silver, while Juliet Ogo of Bayelsa State and Mercy Alison of Abia State each claimed bronze.
In the 62kg category, Patience Kakanda of Bayelsa State produced the upset of the day, defeating Nigeria Army’s Precious Tieberi 3-1 in the final to be crowned the new champion. Isioma Abojei of Delta State and Blessing Apah of Dynamite Club won bronze medals.
Rivers State’s Esther Asaolu also retained her title in the 59kg division, overcoming all her opponents in the round-robin format, with Patience Opuene of Bayelsa State finishing as runner-up.
In the men’s events, Solomon Ulabo of Bayelsa State claimed gold in the 79kg category, with Kpum Ayibasisei of Edo State taking silver and Rasheed Saliu of Ondo State and Ebisindei Okorie of Dynamite Club winning bronze. NewLife Ebikeme of Bayelsa State won the 92kg gold, ahead of Perezidei Obaze of Edo State in silver position, while Tobechukwu Udeh of the Nigeria Army and Timilehin Adekanmi of Ondo State claimed bronze medals.
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