D’Tigress of Nigeria are now ranked 8th in the latest FIBA world rankings.
The update, released on Thursday by the international basketball federation, shows that the six-time AfroBasket champions have surged four positions, securing their spot among the top 10 teams worldwide.
This achievement marks D’Tigress as the first African team, male or female, to enter the FIBA top 10.
Their remarkable ascent in the rankings was fueled by an outstanding performance at the Paris Olympics, where they triumphed over Australia in their opening match, marking the team’s first Olympic victory in two decades.
Despite a setback against France in their second game, the team bounced back to defeat Canada in their final group match, making history as the first African team to reach the quarter-finals of the Olympic basketball tournament.
Unfortunately, Nigeria faced defeat against the United States in the quarter-finals.
Additionally, Rena Wakama, the head coach of D’Tigress, was honored as the best coach of the women’s basketball event.
The United States, the reigning Olympic champions, continue to hold the top position in the global rankings, followed by Australia and France, with China and Spain rounding out the top five teams in women’s basketball.
