MISSION 5 IN A ROW:- D’Tigress eyes Record Breaking win over Senegal in Afrobasket Semis in Abidjan*
Two of the most successful women basketball teams on the continent, Senegal and Nigeria will face each other today in a blockbuster encounter, in one of the two semi finals of this year’s Afrobasket.
The tournament is now down to the best four teams while today’s encounter will be the latest episode in the explosive match up between both powerhouses of African basketball.
Senegal is the most successful women basketball team on the continent with 11 titles but Nigeria D’Tigress are the most dominant team for the past ten years, having won the last four editions of the tournament since 2017.
The Nigeria women’s team have won a total of 6 Afrobasket trophies with a 7th title in sight in Abidjan and an unprecedented 5th title in a row.
Today’s game is tantalisingly poised to represent the best advert for the continuous growth and quality of women’s basketball in Africa and the eyes of basketball watchers all across the globe will be on the Palais de Sports de Treichville in Abidjan by 7pm Nigerian time.
The D’Tigress remains unbeaten on the continent since 2015 and they are currently on a 27 game run, winning all their three games so far in this year’s tournament.
The Senegalese on the other hand, had a shaky path to the semi final having lost to Uganda in the group stage, in one of the upsets of the tournament, but bounced back to eliminate Rwanda in the playoffs before beating host Ivory coast in the Quarter finals.
Nigeria DTigress have won their last seven games against the Senegalese since 2015 to affirm their edge over their West African neighbours.
Both countries met in the final of the last edition in Rwanda and Nigeria edged it with a ten point margin of 84 to 74 points while the last matchup between the two teams was in February last year in Antwerp, Belgium.
It was the FIBA Women Olympic Qualification tournament for the Paris Games and it was another defeat for the Senegalese, losing 72-65 points.
Everything is pointing to a great game today and D’Tigress understands that despite their dominance and head to head advantage, they cannot afford to take their closest rivals for granted if they must achieve the unprecedented five in a row title and return home to heroics welcome of the sports loving President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
The Girls and their officials believe they don’t need further motivation than the gestures Mr President poured on the victorious Super Falcons after winning the WAFCON in Morocco.
