TheCable

D’Tigress will start their FIBA Women’s World Basketball Cup campaign against Australia on Saturday.

The African Champions, ranked 34th in the world, will square up against fourth-ranked Australia in Tenerife, Spain.

Otis Hughley, D’Tigress head coach, says the team is ready to confront any opposition.

“We were born ready for this. There is no point in coming to such events like this just to add to the numbers,” Hughley said.

“We have done what we should have done within the time allowed for training and the general consensus in the team is that we are good to go.”

Adaora Elonu, team captain, said the team is grateful to the Nigeria Basketball Federation for its support.

Elonu said: “We can’t thank the federation enough for this level of preparation. I have been around the national team set up for a while and I can confidently say this is the first time we’ve had this type of preparation.”

She said the team is not under pressure ahead of the game against Australia.

Evelyn Ahkator, who plays for Besiktas, said as African Champions, the onus lies on them to excel.

“In 2017, nobody believed we could win the Afrobasket in Mali. It is our time to prove to the world that Nigeria is not a push over,” she said.

D’Tigress will be hoping to make history as the first African team to win a World Cup match.