Nigeria’s women’s U-18 basketball team, J’Tigress, which caused a big upset on Wednesday night by beating Egypt in the quarterfinals of the ongoing AfroBasket U-18 Championships in Pretoria, South Africa, will face Uganda in the semifinal of the championship today. The girls, against all expectations, defeated Egypt 66-51 to reach the semifinals of the championships, which offer the winners tickets to the FIBA U-18 Championships later this year. Nigeria’s game with Uganda will come shortly after the other semifinal involving Cameroon and Mali. On Wednesday against Egypt, Nigeria won the first quarter 24-13 and maintained the lead as the teams went on halftime, with scores 37-23 for J’Tigress. Egypt struggled to get back into the game but failed until the buzzer. Incidentally, it was the second game between both teams within one week. Egypt won that opening match 72-60, but on Wednesday night, J’Tigress rose ferociously in the game that mattered more to win the quarterfinals. Speaking on his expectations of the team, a member of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Ugo Udezue, said the girls showed the Nigerian spirit by rising above their struggles to beat Egypt. He said that the girls have shown they can withstand any opposition at the championship, and assured that the J’Tigress would do their best to make the country proud.
