D’Tigress head coach Rena Wakama has reaffirmed the team’s determination to retain their AfroBasket crown while setting sights on continued success at the global level, including the Olympics.
Speaking during an open training session in Abuja on Sunday ahead of the 2025 FIBA’s Women AfroBasket Championship, Wakama emphasized that defending their title in Ivory Coast this July remains a priority.
Wakama, who made history in 2023 as the first female coach to win the Women’s AfroBasket after leading Nigeria to a record fourth consecutive title in Rwanda, has since taken the team to greater heights — including a quarterfinal finish at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Looking ahead to the tournament scheduled for July 26 in Ivory Coast, the coach laid out the short-term goal: a fifth AfroBasket title.
“We have a core that has been with me for a few years now. But the key right now is to connect, come together and be focused.”
“Because we know going into this tournament, everyone is coming for us. It is what it is.
We have to connect and be as tight as possible so we can withstand any obstacles that come our way.”
Wakama stressed that while the pressure is real, the team remains excited and committed to giving their all.
“It’s excitement. No pressure. We’re going to give our all. Any team that I coach is going to play as hard as they can.
We’re going to give our all. If we give our all and we win, great. If we give our all and we lose, great, we give our all.
Maybe it wasn’t our day. But for me, we’re going to give our all in everything that we do,” she concluded.
Nigeria’s D’Tigress are aiming not only to dominate the continent once again but also to build on the momentum from their Olympic campaign as they head into AfroBasket 2025.
