President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF)Engr. Musa Kida has identified hard work as the key to D’Tigress success at the 2022 FIBA Women World Cup holding later this year in Australia.

Engr Kida while reacting in the aftermath of the D’Tigress FIBA draws on Thursday said opponents are now paying apr attention to the team due to their impressive performance.

D’Tigress are drawn in Group B against France, Serbia, Japan, Canada and host Australia.

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Kida while reacting said: “In the last four years, we have continued to shock the world and other teams are now paying some serious attention to us.

“To continue on that path, we have to work extra hard to sustain the tempo.

He stressed that the team will continue to get the best of preparation ahead of the tournament that will begin between Thursday, 22 of September and Saturday, 1 of October in Sydney.

“This is where the Federal Government comes in through funding.

“Early approval and release of funds is at the core of all our proposed plans.

“Preparing for such an important tournament costs money and we will be banking on the Federal Government,” Kida said.

“We are no longer referred to as just another team from Africa.

“We are now being addressed as Nigeria based on what we have achieved in the last four years which saw us winning 3 Afrobasket titles, back to back world cup qualification and Olympics participation.”

Currently the lowest ranked team in the group, D’Tigress are unmindful of the task ahead as the sole representative of Africa at the global and a quest to pick one of the four available quarter-finals tickets.