Nigeria’s Women’s Basketball Team, D’Tigress Coach, Rena Wakama, was named the best coach of the Women’s Olympic Basketball Tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics, even though her team didn’t make it to the semi-finals.
Note that Coach Rena Wakama and her girls were one of the brightest parts of Team Nigeria who ended their campaign at the 2024 Olympics without a medal despite fielding 88 athletes in 12 sports.
This was the eighth time in 19 appearances that the country had not won a medal since their debut at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland.
But the D’Tigress who were considered underdogs in their group, delivered an unprecedented performance, capturing the attention of basketball fans with victories over formidable opponents like Australia and Canada.
Wakama, one of the youngest coaches in Olympic history, led D’Tigress to a historic high, setting a new benchmark for Nigerian and African basketball.
Despite suffering a defeat to France, D’Tigress rebounded with a remarkable victory over Canada, making history as the first African team, either male or female, to advance beyond the group phase in Olympic basketball history.
The team’s stunning achievements at the Olympics, including their historic quarter-final appearance and impressive performances against strong opponents, were a testament to the coaching prowess of Rena Wakama. The United States women’s basketball team ended Nigeria’s journey at the Olympics in the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s point guard Ezinne Kalu’s standout performance earned her a well-deserved spot on the All-Second Team of the Women’s Olympic Basketball Tournament Paris 2024, showcasing her significant contributions to the team’s historic campaign.
