Nigerians remain optimistic

Reactions have continued to trail the 65-55 points loss of the Nigeria senior female national team to Senegal on Thursday as basketball buffs are optimistic that the team will make it to the last four only if the coaches and players can adopt a more active approach to the last group game against Mali next Monday.

According to them, it is good that the team and the nation to have put that painful loss behind them and concentrate fully on the task of not just qualifying for the semi-finals, but the final so as to guarantee the country's place at next year's Fiba World Cup in Brazil.

Obande Ogbole - Statistician, "If our players can be more focussed in that all- important match against Mali next Monday, the nation is sure of a semi-final berth". "They must be fully prepared and doubly charged, because our defeating Mali will determine whether we are going ahead or not"

Sylvester James - basketball coach/statistician, "The coachinbg crew should instruct the players to minimise their dribbling,pass the ball at the right time and be more aggressive on defense"

Tijjani Umar - Head media/publicity NBBF, "The bench should read the game well enough and make the right judgements and substitutions because we are very deep in all department talent -wise. I will simply advise that, if a certain set player is not working in our favour, the coaches should react appropriately. They should also allow the players to play theirs' ocassionally".

"Nigerian should expect the best against Mali on Monday".