There was no preparation and the team got to Belgrade on Tuesday, February 8, and played against China on Thursday, February 10. They predictably lost by 14 points to the FIBA-ranked No.7 team.

The next test was France, the No.5 ranked team and D’Tigress were again, expected to lose, what with their under preparation and the absence of their captain and leader, Ezinne Kalu, but they surprised everyone with a 67-65 win.

This came despite losing the first quarter by 17 points as Victoria Macaulay posted a monster performance that saw her drain 19 points, which included the game-winning three-pointer.

On Sunday, they confirmed their ticket to Australia with a 73-69 win. As France lost 103-70, D’Tigress came second in the group standings.

Meet the triumphant team coached by Otis Hughley

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Amy Okonkwo

Okonkwo, 25, was born in the United States and attended Lubbock Christian University (LCU). She was undrafted and joined Dallas Wings training camp in April 2021 but they waived signing her so she joined Innova-TSN Leganes having played 18 games for Club Deportivo Zamarat in the Liga Femenina de Baloncesto in 2020. She was called to D’Tigress camp prior to the 2020 Olympic Games training camp. Okonkwo was not a starter in Belgrade but did not disappoint whenever she was called on and though she played lesser minutes than the starters, she made the most points over the three matches.

Victoria Macaulay

Macaulay was born in the United States and attended Curtis High School before moving to Temple University, from where she graduated in 2013. She was undrafted and left to play in Italy before joining Chicago Sky in 2015. She currently plays in Turkey with Bursa BSB. The rangy forward was chosen in the All-Star team in the Belgrade qualifiers. On Instagram, where her account is ambitious vick Macaulay comes across as a fashionista. She was called up by Nigeria in 2019 and was part of the team that won the 2019 AfroBasket tournament. Macaulay was the main reason Nigeria beat France 67-65 in their second group game. She scored 19 points and the crucial three points that won the game.

Promise Amukamara

Amukamara was the only recognised point guard in the team and that amounted to her playing the most minutes, 100, but she shone brightly, especially with a buzzer-beater at the end of the third quarter against France. She was born in the United States and attended Arizona State University, where she also competed in athletics. “She still holds the school record for the fastest 100 meters and 200 meters by a freshman.” She was drafted the 36th pick by the Phoenix Mercury in 2015. She joined D’Tigress in 2019 and was at the last Olympics with her great friend, Ezinne Kalu, who she plays with at French women’s Basketball league side Landerneau Bretagne.

Adaora Elonu

The quiet one on the team, Elonu was a tower of strength for D’Tigress, especially in the heated moments in the games against France and Mali. Elonu was born in the United States and played college basketball for Texas A&M, where she won the 2011 NCAA Championship. She is one of the veterans on the team roster and one of the captains. She has been in all the D’Tigress that has won medals at AfroBasket tournaments. She has played her club career across many countries that including Angola, Israel, Spain, and in the WNBA with the Atlanta Dream. She was voted the MVP at the last AfroBasket tournament in 2021.

Oderah Chidom

Chidom played the third-most minutes for D’Tigress in Belgrade and posted great numbers. She put up 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 15 assists. Chidom was also born in the United States and attended Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland, California before entering the famous Duke University, from where she was drafted by the Atlanta Dream in 2017. She joined D’Tigress in 2020 and won the 2021 AfroBasket and then competed at the 2020 Olympics. Her Instagram page shows a family-oriented person.

Atonye Nyingifa

Nyingifa has been with D’Tigress since 2017 and she was instrumental down the stretch against Mali in the third group game in Belgrade, in which she scored 11 points and pulled down eight rebounds The 31-year-old was born in the U.S.A and her determination has helped this team to no ends.

Nicole Enabosi

Enabosi who was born in the U.S.A and attended Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Maryland was called up by Nigeria in 2018 but unfortunately, she tore her anterior cruciate ligaments during the tryouts in the team preparations for the 2018 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Spain. She was also decisive in the game against Mali, netting 11 points and pulled down eight rebounds her Instagram page shows someone who travels and is open-minded.

Nigeria joins host, Australia, the USA, who qualified as Olympic Champions, Canada, China, France, Japan, Korea, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Novak Djokovic has said he would rather miss out on future tennis trophies than be forced to get a Covid vaccine.

He said missing competitions, such as the French Open, over his jab status was “the price that I’m willing to pay”.

The 20-time Grand Slam winner was deported from Australia last month after the government cancelled his visa in a row over his vaccine status.

Djokovic described the conditions while he was detained as “very hard”.

He said he had not spoken out in the media at the time – despite wanting to – as he wanted to respect the legal process and the Australian Open.

The world’s number one men’s tennis player also said he should not be associated with the anti-vax movement, but supported an individual’s right to choose.https://buy.tinypass.com/checkout/template/cacheableShow?aid=tYOkq7qlAI&templateId=OTBYI8Q89QWC&templateVariantId=OTV0YFYSXVQWV&offerId=fakeOfferId&experienceId=EXAWX60BX4NU&iframeId=offer_0e763acc7b457c03340a-0&displayMode=inline&widget=template&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.com

He said he had obtained a medical exemption to enter the country to play in the Australian Open as he had recently recovered from Covid-19.

However, the country’s immigration minister, Alex Hawke, personally cancelled the 34-year-old’s visa, on the grounds that his presence could incite “civil unrest” and encourage anti-vaccine sentiment.

“I was never against vaccination,” he told the BBC, confirming he’d had vaccines as a child, “but I’ve always supported the freedom to choose what you put in your body.”

In a wide-ranging interview, his first since he was detained in Melbourne in January, Djokovic addressed speculation about the timing of his positive Covid case in December and discussed his own attitude towards the vaccine.

Djokovic said he hoped vaccination requirements in certain tournaments would change, adding he was hoping he “can play for many more years”.

But he also confirmed he was willing to forego the chance to become statistically the greatest male tennis player of all time because he felt so strongly. Djokovic’s rival, Rafael Nadal, has won 21 Grand Slam singles titles – the most of any male competitor.

Asked why, Djokovic replied: “Because the principles of decision making on my body are more important than any title or anything else. I’m trying to be in tune with my body as much as I possibly can.”

Djokovic said he had “always been a great student of wellness, wellbeing, health, nutrition,” and his decision had been partly influenced by the positive impact factors such as changing his diet and his sleeping patterns had had on his abilities as an athlete.

He said he was “keeping [his] mind open” about the possibility of being vaccinated in the future, “because we are all trying to find collectively, a best possible solution to end Covid”.

“I was never against vaccination. I understand that globally, everyone is trying to put a big effort into handling this virus and seeing, hopefully, an end soon to this virus,” he said. caption, Watch Novak Djokovic describe how his time in a detention centre in Australia left him feeling “powerless”

Djokovic told the BBC his experience in Australia was “tough”.

“It was very, very hard. While I was still at the airport, I couldn’t use my phone for three, four hours. I was lost, really, I didn’t know what was happening.”

He said he initially could not get in touch with his family but was later allowed to access his phone when he was inside the detention centre.

While awaiting his first court hearing, Djokovic was free to train. “But it was not the regular kind of training days that I would normally have prior to the Grand Slam competition,” he said.

“I had helicopters flying above every single training session that I had on Rod Laver Arena, cameras all over the place. Also, I felt that energy and that those looks from from my colleagues and people that were in the tennis facility… that really hurt me a lot.

“And obviously, I understand that they had a perception that was based on what they were seeing from media reports. And I wasn’t going out in the media, because of what was previously said in respecting the legal process and respecting the Australian Open. But at that time, I really wanted to speak to everyone and give my explanation.”

In our interview, Djokovic also addressed speculation about the sequence of events ahead of the Australian Open in January.

Some had suggested it was convenient that Djokovic’s positive Covid case in mid-December had occurred just in time for him to be granted a medical exemption to attend the tournament.

“I understand that there is a lot of criticism, and I understand that people come out with different theories on how lucky I was or how convenient it is,” he acknowledged.

“But no-one is lucky and convenient of getting Covid. Millions of people have and are still struggling with Covid around the world.

“So I take this very seriously, I really don’t like someone thinking I’ve misused something… in my own favour, in order to, you know, get a positive PCR test and eventually go to Australia.”

Djokovic is, by any measure, a remarkable individual. Raised amid two wars in the former Yugoslavia, by parents who sold the family gold and negotiated with loan sharks to fund his ambitions, he is fluent in six languages, arguably the greatest player ever to pick up a racket; and – most pertinently – a deeply committed libertarian who believes strongly in individual autonomy.

He has clearly thought deeply about the conflict between individual autonomy and the collective good – and he feels that, as an elite sportsman, his body is his business – in both senses of that word. He says he has an open mind, but as things stand, he will not get the jab.

His medical exemption request was made anonymously, and it was accepted by two independent Australian panels. However there was a separate travel declaration, which included an error.

“Absolutely, the visa declaration error was not deliberately made,” Djokovic said. “It was accepted and confirmed by the Federal Court and the minister himself in the Ministry for Immigration in Australia.

“So actually, what people probably don’t know is that I was not deported from Australia on the basis that I was not vaccinated, or I broke any rules or that I made an error in my visa declaration. All of that was actually approved and validated by the Federal Court of Australia and the Minister for Immigration.

“The reason why I was deported from Australia was because the Minister for Immigration used his discretion to cancel my visa based on his perception that I might create some anti-vax sentiment in the country or in the city, which I completely disagree with.”

Djokovic is set to return to action at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, which begin next week, where entrants do not need to be vaccinated.

What has the tennis world had to say?

Five-time Wimbledon women’s doubles champion Pam Shriver said she hoped the “right-trusted person” could sit down with Djokovic and “walk him through all of the steps that make the science and the medicine trustworthy”.

She said him not getting the vaccine was “terrible for tennis” and said he was seen as a leader by many people both in Serbia and throughout the world.

Former British number one Tim Henman, who is on the committee of the All England Club which organises Wimbledon, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he thought it was unlikely Djokovic would be stopped from playing there as the tournament was planning to follow government guidance.

But he said that by taking himself out of the chance to compete in some Grand Slams “he is certainly jeopardising his chances of being the greatest male player of all time”.

He added: “I think that speaks volumes to his courage, conviction and belief that this is what is best for him.”

Cristiano Ronaldo ended his six-game goal drought in sensational style as Manchester United beat 10-man Brighton at Old Trafford to move back into the Premier League’s top-four.

Bruno Fernandes added a second as United broke from deep inside their own half in the final minute of injury-time.

After a tepid opening period, Ronaldo struck six minutes into the second half.

The Portuguese collected Scott McTominay’s pass before edging right of the Brighton defence and, with barely any backlift, sent a low shot curling beyond a static Robert Sanchez.

Three minutes later, Brighton skipper Lewis Dunk was sent off after VAR sent referee Peter Bankes to review the defender’s foul on Anthony Elanga.

Fernandes wasted a glorious chance when he failed to get past Sanchez with only the Brighton keeper to beat, before Ronaldo nodded an excellent chance wide of the far post.

It meant United breathed a sigh of relief when Jakub Moder’s speculative effort from the corner of the box bounced back off the bar with David de Gea beaten.

Brighton were still trying to salvage something from the contest when Fernandes struck with virtually the final kick.

Jekyll and Hyde United

In his pre-match interviews, United’s interim manager Ralf Rangnick spoke about his team needing to be more Dr Jekyll and less Mr Hyde. Sadly for the German, the first half had far more evidence of the latter, evil, side.

When United were pressed with any great intensity, they gave the ball away. Restored to the starting line-up ahead of Paul Pogba, Fred was one culprit when he delivered a straight pass intended for Ronaldo straight to Adam Webster, who was not much more than a couple of yards away.

But the Brazilian was not on his own. Indeed, as Ronaldo drove a free-kick in a promising situation at the end of that disappointing opening period into the wall, it was hard to think of a redeeming feature for the hosts.

They did create one decent chance, when Ronaldo’s backheel sent Jadon Sancho running into the box. But once Brighton keeper Sanchez had turned the England man’s shot away, the best bit of United play was De Gea’s excellent save to deny Moder’s header.

The boos that accompanied the half-time whistle were predictable and when Pogba emerged late after the break and missed the start of his warm-up, it appeared United’s shambolic evening would continue.

Instead, the Frenchman was on the touchline to join the applause as Ronaldo struck the crucial 51st-minute opener.

Ronaldo knew he should have had more goals, though, and kicked an advertising hoarding in frustration as a header from a corner went narrowly wide.

However, after an unsatisfactory period for both player and team as leads have been lost in three successive games, at least this time they were able to secure a much-needed victory.

Familiar losing feeling in Manchester for Brighton

Given they have now drawn two and lost 12 in 14 away games at Manchester United – and not won in 20 trips to face either City or United – the final outcome cannot have been a surprise to Brighton.

Yet, despite the scoreline and losing centre-back Dunk, there had to be an element of this being a missed opportunity for the visitors.

For long periods in the first half, they were by far the better side but, not for the first time, the lack of a potent finisher cost Graham Potter’s men.

Moder could not have done much more with the header that De Gea turned away, nor the shot that hit the bar.

But Yves Bissouma fired wide before the break when placed to do much better. Danny Welbeck then came agonisingly close to snatching a draw against his former club when he sent his header over from eight yards after being picked out by fellow substitute Tariq Lamptey in the final minute.

Nigeria’s Sports Minister Sunday Dare has congratulated the Nigerian national women basketball team, D’Tigress for picking a ticket to the FIBA Women World Cup.

The ladies, who are three times Afrobasketball champions beat their Malian opponents 73-69 on Sunday to qualify as Africa’s sole representatives.

They had earlier beaten the highly rated, world number five, France 67-65, after losing their opening game to China.

Dare praised the queens of the court for doing the nation proud and showing dogged determination in all their games.

The FIBA Women Basketball World Cup will take place on Sydney, Australia in September.

Hudson-Odoi

As both Nigeria and Ghana continue to pile up weaapons for the two-legged World Cup play-off next month, Ghana have suffered a big blow in their quest to make Chelsea winger, Callum Hudson-Odoi to switch nationality from England.

Nigeria last week succeded in getting Liecester’ winger and former England junior international, Ademola Lookman to switch nationality and add up to Nigeria’s ‘arms pile-up’ ahead of the likely volitale confrontation.

Various sources in Ghana reveal that all efforts to make Hudson-Odoi to buldge have failed. Such include efforts by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who last year commissioned the Minister of Youth and Sports and the Ghana Football Association to convince Hudson-Odoi to play for the country.

Hudson-Odoi is leaving his option wide opened as he ponders on playing for England or Ghana at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

When quizzed by UK’s Evening Standard after Chelsea’s triumph in the FIFA Club World Cup over the weekend, Hudson-Odoi said “I don’t know. At the end of the day, we will wait until that time comes. At the same time, I’ve just got to focus on the club until we get that far.

Hudson-Odoi was initially rumored to have pledged Ghana of his availability for the much-important clash with the Super Eagles of Nigeria following a meeting between his father and Technical Advisor of the Black Stars, Chris Hughton.

Before then, the Ghanaian President had last posted: “On Monday, 7th June 2021, Ghanaian-born Chelsea footballer, Callum Hudson-Odoi, paid a courtesy call on me at Jubilee House, the seat of our nation’s presidency.

“Amongst others, I urged the Minister for Youth and Sports to explore the possibility of having Callum switch nationality, and play for the Black Stars.”

World Cup – South American Qualifiers – Brazil v Argentina – Arena Corinthians, Sao Paulo, Brazil – September 5, 2021 Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Brazil’s Neymar are seen as play is interrupted after Brazilian health officials objected to the participation of three Argentine players they say broke quarantine rules

The World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Argentina in September that was suspended just minutes after kickoff when health officials ran onto the pitch must be replayed, world governing body FIFA said on Monday.

The match at the NeoQuimica Arena in Sao Paulo was halted in farcical fashion after five minutes when Brazilian health officials invaded the pitch to stop Argentina’s England-based players, who they accused of breaching the country’s COVID-19 quarantine rules, from playing.

The officials claimed the Argentines had breached Brazilian rules stating travellers who had been in the UK, South Africa or India during the previous two weeks were forbidden from entering the country unless they were Brazilian citizens or had permanent residency.

The officials claimed the players had misled border officials by declaring they had not been in a red list country during the 14 days before the game.

Argentine officials said they believed the same protocols used in the Copa America in Brazil in June were in place for the World Cup qualifiers to allow teams to travel across the continent. CONMEBOL confirmed that interpretation.

“After a thorough investigation of the various factual elements and in light of the applicable regulations, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided that the match should be replayed on a date and at a location to be decided by FIFA,” it said in a statement.

“In addition, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has concluded that the abandonment of the match stemmed from several deficiencies of the parties involved.”

The four England-based players, Emiliano Buendia, Emiliano Martinez, Giovani Lo Celso and Cristian Romero, were each banned for two international matches by FIFA’s disciplinary committee for failing to comply with the world governing body’s COVID-19 protocols.

FIFA also fined the Brazilian and Argentine football associations 500,000 Swiss francs ($540,000) and 200,000 Swiss francs, respectively, for their failure to ensure “order and safety”.

Both nations have already qualified unbeaten for Qatar, with Brazil top of the South American qualifying group, four points ahead of Argentina. Both teams have three games to play.

The last scheduled round of qualifying games takes place in late March.

($1 = 0.9265 Swiss francs)

Novak Djokovic has said he would rather miss out on future tennis trophies than be forced to get a Covid vaccine.

Speaking exclusively to a UK media, he said he should not be associated with the anti-vax movement, but supported an individual’s right to choose.

Djokovic was asked if he would sacrifice taking part in competitions such as Wimbledon and the French Open over his stance on the vaccine.

“Yes, that is the price that I’m willing to pay,” he said.

The 20-times Grand Slam winner was deported from Australia last month after the government cancelled his visa in a row over his vaccine status.

Djokovic, who is the world’s number one men’s tennis player, said he had obtained a medical exemption to enter the country to play in the Australian Open as he had recently recovered from Covid-19.

However, the country’s immigration minister, Alex Hawke, personally cancelled the 34-year-old’s visa, on the grounds that his presence could incite “civil unrest” and encourage anti-vaccine sentiment.

“I was never against vaccination,” he told the BBC, confirming that he’d had vaccines as a child, “but I’ve always supported the freedom to choose what you put in your body.”

In a wide-ranging interview, his first since he was detained in Melbourne in January, Djokovic addressed speculation about the timing of his positive Covid case in December and discussed his own attitude towards the vaccine.

Djokovic said he hoped vaccination requirements in certain tournaments would change, adding that he was hoping that he “can play for many more years”.

But he also confirmed he was willing to forego the chance to become statistically the greatest tennis player of all time because he felt so strongly. Djokovic’s rival, Rafael Nadal, has won 21 Grand Slam titles – the most of any competitor.

Asked why, he replied: “Because the principles of decision making on my body are more important than any title or anything else. I’m trying to be in tune with my body as much as I possibly can.”

Djokovic said he had “always been a great student of wellness, wellbeing, health, nutrition,” and that his decision had been partly influenced by the positive impact that factors such as changing his diet and his sleeping patterns, had had on his abilities as an athlete.

He said he was “keeping [his] mind open” about the possibility of being vaccinated in the future, “because we are all trying to find collectively, a best possible solution to end Covid”.

“I was never against vaccination. I understand that globally, everyone is trying to put a big effort into handling this virus and seeing, hopefully, an end soon to this virus.”

Djokovic is, by any measure, a remarkable individual. Raised amidst two wars in the former Yugoslavia, by parents who sold the family gold and negotiated with loan sharks to fund his ambitions, he is fluent in six languages, arguably the greatest player ever to pick up a racket; and – most pertinently – a deeply committed libertarian who believes strongly in individual autonomy.

He has clearly thought deeply about the conflict between individual autonomy and the collective good – and he feels that, as an elite sportsman, his body is his business – in both senses of that word. He says he has an open mind, but as things stand, he will not get the jab.

Andre Ayew and his brother, Jordan

The foul smoke over Ghana’s poor showing at the lat Africa Cup of Nations has not settled. The Ghana Black Stars who are Nigeria’s final obstacle to the Qatar 2022 World Cup finished bottom of their group and ended with just one point making pundicts to riddicle the side as going to Cameroon to ‘make a point’

According to online publication in Accra, Ghanaweb, Black Stars captain, Andre Ayew is expected to appear before parliament to answer questions regarding the Black Stars’ campaign at the just concluded Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

According to information available to GhanaWeb, The Parliamentary Select Committee on Sports has already written to the Ghana FA to facilitate Andre Ayew’s appearance before the committee.

It is yet to be known when the player will make himself available to face the committee

It would be the first time in recent memory that a Black Stars captain would be appearing before the august house to answer questions after a tournament.

The closest thing to it was when some members of the Black Stars were made to testify after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil when two players were expelled from the team camp due to disciplinary issues.

Ghana had a poor showing at the 2021 AFCON and lost to lowly rated Comoros in the last game to finish bottom of the group.

It is the worst performance by the Black Stars in AFCON history and that has already led to the sacking of Coach Milovan Rajevac who was in charge of the team at the tournament.

The poor performance by the Black Stars has led to requests by persons in authority to have an inquest into the reasons for the team’s failure.

Nine –time champions and Cup holders Nigeria say they are battle-ready as the stage is set for Friday’s 2022 Women Africa Cup of Nations final qualifying round encounter against the Lady Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire in Abuja.

A narrow 2-1 aggregate win over Ghana’s Black Queens saw the Super Falcons to this stage, where they face high-scoring Lady Elephants who mauled their counterparts from Niger Republic 20-0 on aggregate in the previous round. The Lady Elephants contingent arrived in Nigeria on Monday night.

Most of the players invited by Coach Randy Waldrum have been at a training camp in Abuja, and Waldrum says the girls are fully aware of the importance of the big match.

“Every player in camp is aware of the high importance of these two matches against Cote d’Ivoire. We must win to get to the Women AFCON where the African teams for the FIFA Women’s World Cup will emerge. It is one step at a time, but we all know that we must win well in Abuja on Friday.”

Friday’s encounter, which kicks off at 4pm, is the first game the Super Falcons will play at the MKO Abiola Stadium since defeating their Senegalese counterparts 2-0 in April 2016, in the final qualifying round of the 10^th Women AFCON finals held in Cameroon.

Veteran defender Onome Ebi said the Nigerian girls are highly motivated for the encounter on several fronts, including reaching Morocco 2022 to defend their continental crown, having the opportunity to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup and avenging a bitter loss to the Ivorians in the qualifying race for the 2020 Olympic Women’s Football Tournament.

“These two matches are going to be tough; they would be like the Final of the Women AFCON itself. The Ivorians stopped us from the race to the Olympics. We also know that it is by being in Morocco that we can defend our crown and also qualify for the Women’s World Cup. We are battle –ready.”

The 12-team 12^th Women AFCON finals, which hold in Morocco 2^nd – 23^rd July, will see all four semi-finalists qualify for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. It is the first Women’s World Cup to entertain 32 teams – same number as the men’s finals.

Hosts Morocco and Uganda, who reached the finals following the withdrawal of Kenya, have already qualified, leaving 10 teams to emerge from a 20-team final round that begins on Wednesday this week and will be concluded on Wednesday next week.

After their encounter in Abuja on Friday, the Super Falcons and the Lady Elephants have a potentially –explosive final leg duel inside the Stade Robert Champroux in Abidjan on Wednesday next week.

ALL THE MATCHES

Wednesday 16 February:

• Burundi Vs Djibouti
•  Zambia Vs Namibia
•  Guinea-Bissau Vs Burkina Faso
•  Senegal Vs Mali

Thursday 17 February

•  Togo Vs Gabon

Friday 18 February:

• Zimbabwe Vs Botswana
• South Africa Vs Algeria
•  Tunisia Vs Equatorial Guinea
• Cameroon Vs The Gambia
•  Nigeria Vs Cote d’Ivoire