As Nigeria gear up for their first game of the 2024 FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament against Senegal on Thursday (today), D’Tigress forward Lauren Ebo is confident that the team’s preparation would be enough to lead them to success, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The FIBA Olympics qualifying tournament holds from today to February 11 in Antwerp, Belgium with 16 teams competing for 12 places at this summer’s Paris Olympics.
D’Tigress qualified automatically for the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament as winners of the 2023 Women’s Afrobasket in Rwanda.
The draws, which took place October 5, 2023 in Hungary, had the African champions drawn in Tournament 2 in the four-tournament qualifiers in Belgium.
D’Tigress are seeded in Pot 3 due to their 11th ranked position in the world and would hope to join the United States, who have already qualified, as the World Cup winners.
Speaking ahead of today’s game against fellow Africans Senegal, Ebo is hopeful of D’Tigress qualification for the Games.
“We are facing some formidable opponents on our journey to the Olympics, I am confident that our dedicated preparation will lead us to success, allowing us to once again make our country proud,” the 23-year-old said
Ahead of the Olympic Games Qualifying tournament, FIBA on Wednesday unveiled the final list of D’Tigress with Nkem Akaraiwe rom Customs and Donanu Regina of MFM, both from the Nigerian Women’s Basketball League, and Abiola Olatoyosi (Ex Arkansas, USA) the three missing from the original 15-woman list.
After their first game against Senegal, Rena Wakama’s women will then face the United States the following day. Their last group game is against Belgium on Sunday.
