By Victor Kanayo
Nigeria’s U18 Women’s team will now face Uganda in semi-final battle in the ongoing Afrobasket championship in Pretoria, South Africa.
Heritage Times HT reports that the Championship also serves as qualifier for FIBA U18 World Cup.
To get to the last four stage, the Nigerian team stunned Egypt 66-51
The Nigerian ladies also known as J’Tigress are expected to play Uganda on Friday while Cameroon and Mali will take on each other in the other game.
J’ Tigress Smooth Sail
Nigeria won the first quarter 24-13 and maintained the lead as the teams went on halftime, with scores 37-23 for J’Tigress.
Egypt’s struggle to get back into the game failed until the buzzer.
Incidentally, it was the second game between both teams within one week.
Egypt won that opening match 72-60 but on Wednesday night, J’Tigress rose ferociously in the match that mattered more to win the quarter-final.
The young Nigerian team perhaps are drawing inspiration from their senior counterparts, D’Tigress who made history by being the first ever African Basketball team to reach the quarter-final of the Olympics.
They had also won Women Afrobasket tournament a record four times consecutively and are presently the defending champions.