Kida Commends Junior D’Tigress For FIBA U-19 World Cup Qualification

President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Ahmadu Kida on Tuesday, congratulated the Junior D’Tigress on securing qualification for the 2027 FIBA U-19 Women’s Basketball World Cup in China.

Kida in a statement, praised the team’s determination and resilience after the Nigerian girls defeated hosts Côte d’Ivoire 53-50 in a fiercely contested semi-final at the FIBA U-19 AfroBasket.

The victory not only secured Nigeria a ticket to next year’s global tournament, but also earned the Junior D’Tigress a place in the AfroBasket final against Mali.

The NBBF president said the hard-fought victory demonstrated the fighting spirit, discipline and patriotism associated with Nigerian sports, particularly as the team overcame the pressure of playing against the host nation and its supporters.

He also commended the NBBF board for its continued investment and commitment to the development of women’s basketball in Nigeria, noting that the progress of the national teams reflects the impact of sustained support for the sport.

“The girls have done very well to secure their place at the Women’s World Cup in China next year. This shows their commitment, patriotism and discipline,” Kida said.

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“Now that the World Cup ticket has been secured, I have no doubt that they can go all the way and win the AfroBasket in Sunday’s final against Mali.”

With the qualification, the Junior D’Tigress will represent Nigeria at the 2027 FIBA U-19 Women’s Basketball World Cup in China, joining the senior D’Tigress, who have also secured qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Germany.

The back-to-back achievements further underline the growing strength and progress of Nigerian women’s basketball on the international stage.