The recent qualification of Nigeria’s D’Tigress to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games has lifted the country to the 14th position on the updated FIBA world ranking for women, presented by Nike yesterday.
Though, the ranking saw USA maintain her status as the top-ranked country ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Women’s Olympics Basketball Tournament draw, Australia, Spain, Canada, France, Turkey, Belgium, Serbia, China, Japan and Japan occupy the top 10 with Belarus, Russia and Greece just above Nigeria that garnered a total of (3, 666).
The reigning AfroBasket champions however remains the top-ranked African team ahead of continental rivals, Mozambique in 36th position.
The two other teams that did make upward moves were Sweden (315.0) and Mozambique (153.1).
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Sweden rose two positions to enter the Top 20, while Mozambique got a seven-position bounce and is now ranked 36.
Just few days, Nigeria’s senior women basketball national team, D’Tigress took a bold step towards securing a 2020 Olympic Games ticket after recording a blowout victory against Mozambique, 85-51 points.
On the night that all the 12 players on the roaster scored at least two points, Promise Amukamara was the one who led the team with 14 points, five rebounds, five steals and three assists.
Rebound Queen, Evelyn Akhator picked up seven and scored nine points.Team captain, Adaora Elonu had 10 points, four assists and three steals with 100 per cent records from her two points attempts, while Ezinne Kalu recorded 11 points and five assists.
Although, Mozambique started like a house on fire in the first quarter to lead Nigeria 19-18, heading into the second quarter, it was all about the Coach Otis Hughley led team immediately the second quarter resumed.
The team stepped up its game with some solid defensive play and full court press to frustrate their fellow African opposition, as they dominated the rest of the quarters, 23-9, 15-13, 19-10 to enjoy a 34-point victory.
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