Rena Wakama, Nigeria’s D’Tigeress handler deservedly picked up the Best Coach Award at the Paris Olympics after winning two matches and qualifying for the last eight- the quarter-finals of the Women’s Basketball- the very first time by an African country.
Yet, the history maker has been talking about the secret to their success.
The 32-year-old said she transferred her self-belief and confidence in achieving to the girls to rein in success.
What it means that Nigeria have become trailblazers for African basketball at the Olympics.
Nigeria produced one of the most defining moments in Olympic basketball history when they shredded every pre-tournament prediction and expectation to make it to the quarter-finals for the first time.
The size of their accomplishment is truly epic, off the charts and really is one of the all-time fairytale stories.
Wakama said all he wanted is for the girl child to see themselves as valuable and able to do whatever they set their minds to.
“I hope young girls are watching this. I wanted to be the first but I don’t want to be the last. If we invest in Africa we are capable of doing really amazing things. We have to put some eyes on Africa and develop the game there and it starts with grassroots. It will make the game so much better.”
No men’s team has previously qualified for the last eight. Coming into this edition, African women’s teams were 1-37 in the Games. It is only within this context that you step back and truly frame the enormity of what has just happened.
In a matter of days, they have won twice as many games as African teams had won in the previous near half a century.
Wakama has done an amazing job holding the coaching reins.
“It’s surreal and I don’t think it’s going to hit me yet for another couple of hours,” confessed Wakama who has done a breathtaking job at the helm, with Nigeria having outlasted both Australia and Canada.
“I am proud of my girls and I have pushed them so hard. I have pushed them harder than anyone can even imagine. It’s because I know what they can do and we did that in all our games. We showed them who we are. Trust the process, keep fighting, keep pushing.
“It’s about every little detail and I make them start over [if not done right], I make them do everything right for these reasons. So, in crunch time and in pressure situations, we can execute when our backs are up against the wall.”
The very mention of the record-breaking exploits and the significance of the victory for Africa as a whole and Wakama is left struggling to get her words out.
“I am going to get emotional. I mean, oh jeez – trust the process, keep fighting, keep pushing,” smiled the play-caller.
“I have always been a fighter growing up. You tell me I can’t do something and I am going to tell you that I can.
There might have been some strange looks when she was talking about the podium after a big defeat to France when she was visibly angry about her team’s performance. But, they have used that experience to unite and get back on track.
“When we are focused on something and when we all come together, we are powerful. Our whole team, support staff, and coaches, we have the same mindset – a winning mindset.
Impactful
It was the most impactful performance by an African team in history at the Olympic Basketball Tournaments and one of the main drivers of Nigeria’s unprecedented success was the leadership of playcaller Rena Wakama.
Just 32-years-old, Wakama has been deservedly crowned Best Coach after guiding D’Tigress to an array of historical achievements in Paris.
Nigeria made everyone sit up and take notice by beating Australia on opening day and that was the first time they had won a Group phase game.
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A few days later and Nigeria stunned Canada to become the first African team to take two wins at the Games, once again their tenacious defense providing the platform for success.
Even more impressive, this secured them a ticket to the knockout phase and they became the first African team in history, men or women, to play in the Olympic Quarter-Finals.
Their campaign eventually came to a close when they were beaten by USA, but even then they showed their fighting spirit and qualities until the very end.
In the match against Canada, 79-70, Ezinne Kalu went off for 21 points, becoming the first Nigerian player to score 20+ points since Mfon Udoka, who scored 26 and 28 against Australia and Greece respectively at the 2004 Games.
After their opening day victory against Australia, which made history in its own way, the Nigerians fell to hosts France, leaving coach Wakama unhappy about the performance.
Moving forward Amy Okonkwo says the team decided to fight: “I am so proud of us. The last game wasn’t good for us and even in the first half [against Canada], we were not doing what we wanted to come out and do.
“We had a talk with ourselves and realised it was win or go home and we decided we wanted to stay.”
For Wakama, that defeat was a blessing in disguise as it helped them reset back to default.
She told ESPN: “I am glad we did have that loss because we were able to get back to what we do best. Also there’s no pressure now on us and we have shown everyone that we deserve to be playing here.
“When we are focused on something and when we all come together, we are powerful. Our whole team, support staff, and coaches, we have the same mindset – a winning mindset.”
African women’s teams have previously only won one game in 37 previous Olympic appearances, so D’Tigress have now doubled that in three games, and could well have been three for three if they had stayed composed against France.
“It’s an incredible day for our team, our country and the continent,” D’Tigress legend Udoka told ESPN.
“They just showed that the toughness and perseverance of Nigerians is always evident and it’s just been really wonderful to watch, in all three games.”
Nigerian celebrations were tempered somewhat when their reward for beating the No 3 and No 5 seed was a date with the No 1 seeded USA on August 7. The Americans went 3 for 3 in the group stage and are on a 58-game winning streak.
Both sides last met during the Olympic qualifying tournament in Antwerp, Belgium, where the USA handed down a 100-46 harsh lesson to the Nigerians.
