D’Tigress guard Ezinne Kalu has admitted that Nigeria’s performance in the opening stages of their 60-55 win over Mozambique was far from their usual standard.
“We came out really flat,” Kalu said after the game. “That wasn’t Nigerian basketball. We gave them too many open looks and didn’t bring the intensity we’re known for.”
Mozambique took full advantage of Nigeria’s sluggish start, dominating early and winning key battles on the boards.
“Credit to them—they played hard,” Kalu noted. “We allowed too many drives and gave up about eight offensive rebounds. We just didn’t look like ourselves in that first half.”
According to her, a halftime message from the coach helped shift the momentum.
“He told us, ‘This isn’t who we are. Let’s turn up the energy and play our game.’ That lit a fire under us. The third quarter felt like a fresh start.”
Kalu also pointed out the need for the team to stay focused, especially with their reputation as defending champions.
“We know we’re a strong team, but sometimes we get too comfortable. Everyone wants to beat Nigeria, so we have to keep pushing and remind ourselves what we represent.”
Despite the win, she believes D’Tigress still have more to show.
“We’re not where we want to be yet. We’ll go back, study the film, fix the lapses, and keep improving. It’s one game at a time, and we’re not taking anything for granted.”