Nigeria’s U-19 women’s basketball team, the Junior D’Tigress, will finally step onto the world stage at the 2025 FIBA U-19 Women’s World Cup in Czechia, marking their first-ever appearance at the tournament.
The draw, conducted on Tuesday in the host country, placed Nigeria in Group B alongside Portugal, Canada, and China. The tournament is staged to hold from July 12 to 20.
GROUP B
- Nigeria
- Portugal
- Canada
- China
Junior D’Tigress Journey to Success
The journey to this historic moment has been long and challenging. The Junior D’Tigress secured their spot by finishing as runners-up at the 2024 U-18 Women’s AfroBasket in South Africa, where they narrowly lost to Mali in the final.
Fourteen years ago, Nigeria had also qualified for the 2011 edition after a similar runner-up finish but failed to make the tournament. Now, the team is ready to rewrite history.
One of the squad’s standout players, Nigerian guard Marvis Hembam, also known as Wandoo, revealed the importance of their qualification.
“Getting the ticket to represent Africa was the best moment for Nigerians in a long time,” she told FIBA.
“Nigeria has not participated in the World Cup, so getting the ticket was a moment of joy and prayers answered.”
Hembam, who played a key role in their qualification with an average of nine points and three assists at the U-18 African Championship in Pretoria, believes this World Cup debut will spark a new era for Nigerian women’s basketball.
“It has a lot of positive effects for women’s basketball [in Nigeria], more attention will be given to us and a lot more will follow.”
“In fact, I describe it as a prayer answered and the beginning of a great step in my career and that of my teammates as we travel through life in basketball.”
With powerhouse teams like the USA, Australia, and hosts Czechia also in the competition, Nigeria faces a tough challenge, but Hembam is confident that the team will rise to the occasion.
“We are going to make Nigerians and the world proud. We are going to make a good history for ourselves and the country,” she stated.
Nigeria’s group-stage campaign will test their skills against experienced teams, but with the hunger and determination they have shown, the Junior D’Tigress are ready to prove themselves on the global stage.
Will this be the beginning of a golden era for Nigerian women’s basketball? The world is about to find out.
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