By Taiwo Ibrahim
D’Tigress Coach, Rena Wakama has been named the best basketball coach at the 2024 Olympics after leading the team to a quarter-final place finish in Paris.
Wakama continued her impressive run since taking over the team by guiding them to their first-ever quarterfinal in the history of the Olympics.
She has been recognised by FIBA and the Olympics organisers for leading Nigeria to their best-ever finish in the basketball event of the games.
D’Tigress defeated World number three ranked Australia in their first match, the team also recorded another historic win over Canada in their third match to qualify for the quarter-finals.
It was the first time an African basketball team would qualify for that stage of the games – male or female.
FIBA showered encomiums on Rena Wakama-led D’Tigress on their website on Sunday.
The statement reads: “Nigeria made everyone sit up and take notice by beating Australia on opening day and that was the first time they had won a Group phase game,
“A few days later and Nigeria stunned Canada to become the first African team to take two wins at the Games, once again their tenacious defense providing the platform for success.
“Even more impressive, this secured them a ticket to the knockout phase and they became the first African team in history, men or women, to play in the Olympic Quarter-Finals.
“Their campaign eventually came to a close when they were beaten by USA, but even then they showed their fighting spirit and qualities until the very end.”
Wakama is the first Nigerian National Female Basketball Team coach to win the women’s Afrobasket title since it began in 1966.
The victory made Nigeria only the second African team to win the women’s Afrobasket title four times in a row.
