FIBA U18 Women’s Afrobasket: J’Tigress beat Uganda 71-67 to seal World Cup spot, face Mali in final

Nigeria’s women’s U18 basketball team, the J’Tigress will be one of the two countries (alongside Mali) that will fly the flag of Africa at the FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup next year in Czechia after defeating Uganda 71-67 to qualify for the finals of the FIBA U18 Women’s Afrobasket in Pretoria, South Africa.

It was sweet revenge for the Nigerians who lost in the group phase of the competition 80-64 to the Ugandans.

Like they did to the Egyptians who also defeated them in the group stage, the J’Tigers ensured they started by winning the first quarter by a point (21-20) before increasing the lead in the second quarter to six points by winning 24-19.

The J’Tigers also won the third quarter by the narrowest of margins, 16-15 to set up a titanic fourth quarter with just a seven-point lead.

In the fourth quarter, and led by Idubamo Beggi, their own version of D’Tigress’ playmaker, Uchenna Kalu, the Nigerian girls dug deep to limit the Ugandans fightback to losing just three of the seven points advantage coming into the decisive quarter as the Ugandans won the quarter13-10.

The J’Tigers will now face Mali in the final. The Malians, who have represented Africa at the world stage on multiple occasions massacred Cameroun 103-45 in the first semifinal.

This would be the second time the Nigerian ladies will be qualifying for the tournament since its inaugural edition in 1985.

The first time the ladies qualified was in 2011 hosted by Chile, but the Nigerians could not make it to the event which meant they were walked over 20-0 in each of the three group games they would have played.

Nigerians ould be hoping they start making preparations now to avoid the mistake of 2011 as the game’s popularity continues to grow in the country and the African continent following the inspiring performance of D’Tigress at the Paris 2024 Olympics.