Paris 2024: NBBF President praises D'Tigress coach following Olympic success

Rena Wakama, head coach of Nigeria's national basketball team D'Tigress, has continued to receive plaudits after a successful outing at the Olympic games in Paris.

The President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Musa Kida has attributed the success of the D'Tigress at the 2024 Olympic Games to the coach's ability to operate without interference from board members.

Kida stated that while board members can suggest players, the final decision on team selection rests with the coach and the technical crew.

He praised coach Rena Wakama for her vision, dedication, and leadership, which played a crucial role in the team's impressive performance.

"We are extremely proud of her dedication, commitment, and patience in trying to get the right thing done. It has not been easy," Kida said in an interview with NTA.

The D'Tigress were drawn against some of the highest-ranked teams in Group B at the Olympics but despite the odds, the team managed to overcome their fears and advance to the quarter-finals.

Kida expressed his admiration for the players and their ability to shock the world, referencing their previous success at the FIBA World Cup in 2018.

He said, "The responsibility is that we have tried to isolate other board members from influencing, board members can suggest, they can bring in names just like anybody else but the ultimate selection of the team is in the hands of the coach and the technical crew."

"Coach Rena Wakama, we know that you did sacrifice a lot. We know that you had to tolerate and understand the Nigerian context of things and brought energy to the team, gave the girls a lot of confidence and showed leadership."

Meanwhile, D'Tigress head coach Rena Wakama was named the best at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Nigeria's opening-day victory over Australia, their first-ever victory in a Group phase match, made opponents sit up and take notice.

After suffering deat at the hands of France, Nigeria's resilient defence served as the foundation for their victory against Canada.

They became the first African team in history men or women, to compete in the Olympic quarterfinals after this earned them a spot in the knockout round.

They were ultimately defeated by the USA, which put a stop to their campaign, but not before they had demonstrated their perseverance and abilities.