Lagos, Aug. 14, 2024: An American basketball coach, Marvin Menzies, has lauded the Nigerian national women’s basketball team, the D’Tigress, for their outstanding performances at the just-ended 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
The D’Tigress won two games against Australia, Canada and lost to France and the U.S. to become the first African team to reach the quarterfinals of the Olympic Games.
Menzies, who is the Head Coach, men’s basketball team at the University of Missouri, Kansas City, U.S. and is in Lagos to run a clinic for Nigerian coaches for M2 Academy (M-Squared Academy), said on Wednesday he was impressed with the games played by the D’Tigress.
“I had the chance to watch the Nigerian team before the Olympic Games when they won the FIBA Africa Women’s Tournament in Kigali, Rwanda in 2023.
“In their last game against the U.S., they got dominated, but it was a valiant effort, I think they fought like tigresses, they didn’t give up,’’ he said.
According to the coach, the Nigerian team gained a lot of experience from the Olympic Games.
He said that from the performances of the Nigerian team, Africa has a great future in basketball.
“Africa has great potential in the game. One of the reasons I visit the continent is to help educate and enhance the development of the younger generation that these coaches represent the academies they are affiliated to.
“This is a fantastic opportunity that teaches younger kids because the genetics, the discipline, the mindset is the hunger, the passion that exists in this region is really untapped.
“There has been some great leadership here and some great investments in supporting them, but I think the more they are supported, the better they will perform,’’ he said.
Menzies said he would do similar training/coaching clinics in some African countries this summer before returning to the U.S.
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