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Zenith Bank Celebrates D’Tigress On Back-To-Back Afrobasket Championship Victory

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Zenith Bank Plc, the sole sponsor of the Nigerian Female Basketball League has hailed the Nigerian female basketball team, D’Tigress, for emerging champions of the FIBA Women’s Afrobasket 2019 in Dakar, Senegal, defeating the host nation 60-55 points in the final match to retain the coveted trophy.

Speaking on the success of the team at the championship, the Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive, Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu commended the team for their hard work, doggedness and team spirit, which has seen them retain the trophy which they won two years ago in Mali. He expressed delight at the heroics of the team, comprised mostly of products of the Zenith Bank Women Basketball League, which the bank has sponsored for 15 years consecutively.

D’Tigress of Nigeria held their nerves in the final quarter of the game played at the magnificent Dakar Arena on Sunday, fighting off a late challenge from their Senegalese counterparts, to emerge African champions for the fourth time.

Evelyn Akhator, one of the products of the Zenith Bank Women Basketball League, scored 14 points and made nine rebounds and her amazing performance throughout the tournament earned her a place in the Tournament Five.

The Nigerian female basketball team kick-started the competition with resounding victories of 75-26 points win over Tunisia and 106-39 points win over Cameroun in the group stages, before recording a 79-46 points win over Congo in the quarterfinals and a 79-58 points win over Mali in the semifinals.

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CAF 2024 Awards: Nigeria’s ‘Super Falcons’ Wins National Team Of The Year (Female Category)

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The Nigerian women’s national football team, Super Falcons, were named “National Team of the Year” at the CAF Awards 2024.

This achievement, revealed on Monday by the Confederation of African Football during the presentation ceremony in Marrakech, Morocco, further solidifies their dominance and excellence in African football.

This esteemed recognition underscores the team’s exceptional performances and significant contributions over the past year, as they continued to represent Nigeria at the pinnacle of women’s football in Africa.

The CAF Awards annually honor the best in African football, celebrating teams, players, and coaches who have excelled in their respective fields.

The Nigerian women’s team has consistently demonstrated resilience, skill, and determination on the international stage, earning the admiration of fans and experts alike.

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Four Years Ago I Failed In Front Of The World, Fast Forward, I’m The Best Player In Africa — Ademola Lookman

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Ademola Lookman, Super Eagles winger, says his success as the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year came after he “failed in front of the world” four years prior.

Lookman spoke after receiving the award as the best African male footballer of 2024 in Marrakech, Morocco, on Monday.

The 27-year-old finished ahead of Achraf Hakimi, Simon Adingra, Ronwen Williams, and Serhou Guirassy to win the coveted individual prize for male African footballers.

He followed in the footsteps of Victor Osimhen, who won the award in 2023.

Speaking at the ceremony, Lookman referenced his failure to convert a penalty for Everton in November 2020.

Lookman had the opportunity to earn a point for Fulham in their English Premier League (EPL) match against West Ham United. Instead, he failed to execute a Panenka penalty kick that was easily saved by Lukasz Fabianski as West Ham won 1-0.

The penalty attempt earned him mockery on social media, and Scott Parker, Fulham’s manager, criticized the player publicly.

“Just over four years ago I failed in front of the world. Fast forward four years, I’m the best player in Africa,” Lookman said after receiving the award.

“I want to say to the young children and people watching this: don’t let your failures weigh you down that they break your wings. Matter of fact, turn your pain into your power and continue to fight.

“Firstly, I want to thank the Almighty God for everything he has been doing in my life, and everything he has been blessing me with.

“I want to thank the president, I want to thank all my teammates—club and country. I want to thank them for all their support and love that they gave me.”

“This award today is a blessing to me, to my family, to my nation, and to be recognized as the best player in Africa. It’s something incredible and I’m extremely proud of.”

Lookman left Fulham after that season for RB Salzburg in Germany, where he continued to flap his wings before taking flight following his move to Atalanta in the summer of 2022.

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Ademola Lookman Wins 2024 CAF Men’s Player Of The Year

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Ademola Lookman has been crowned the 2024 CAF Men’s Player of the Year.

The Nigerian triumphed over Simon Adingra, Achraf Hakimi, Rowen Williams, and Serhou Guirassy to claim the prestigious award.

Atalanta’s forward, Lookman, succeeds his fellow Nigerian, Victor Osimhen, who was the recipient of the award last year.

The 27-year-old made a significant impact for Nigeria during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

The talented winger netted three goals and provided one assist in the competition, with the Super Eagles securing second place.

He also achieved a historic hat-trick for Serie A club Atalanta in the final of the UEFA Europa League.

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