D’Tigress overcome early scare to beat Mozambique in Afrobasket opener

D’Tigress surmounted an early scare to defeat Mozambique 67-50 in their opening game at the ongoing 2021 FIBA women’s Afrobasket in Yaounde, Cameroon.

The reigning champions fell short of the Mozambicans’ demands in the first two quarters as they capitulated 29-33 by half-time.

It was not until the third quarter that the Otis Hughley-led team began a rampaging resurgence that wrestled the match from the grip of the determined opposition.

The Nigerians brushed Mozambique away in the third quarter to register a 24-9 win before adding another 14-8 final quarter triumph to seal a well-fought victory.

Kalu led the team with 17 points, followed by Elonu who netted 13 points, and Oderah Chisom contributed 8 points.

Victoria Macaulay scored the most rebounds in the game, scooping 9 points from those, followed by Elonu with 7.

D’Tigress, sitting atop Group B, will face Angola in the second and final preliminary match on Monday.

The experience of Ezinne Kalu and Adaora Elonu helped reinforce the performance that made D’Tigress winners of the past two women’s Afrobasket.

In the last four years, the team has emerged as the most successful side in Africa, winning back-to-back AfroBasket titles in 2017 and 2019

Nigeria aims to win the women’s AfroBasket championships three consecutive times.

Only Senegal was able to achieve the feat when they won four times in a row from 1974 to 1981.