Grapevine

Wakama waxes lyrical over D’Tigress’ historic Olympic feat

René Wakama’s charges produced one of the most defining moments in Olympic basketball history when they shredded every pre-tournament prediction and expectation to make it to that stage, claiming the scalp of higher-ranked Australia and Canada in the process and winning twice as many games as African teams had won in the previous near half a century.

She said, “It’s surreal, and I don’t think it’s going to hit me yet for another couple of hours.

“I am proud of my girls, and I have pushed them so hard. I have pushed them harder than anyone can even imagine. It’s because I know what they can do, and we did that today, and we showed them who we are.

“It’s about every little detail, and I make them start over [if not done right]. I make them do everything right for these reasons. So, in crunch time and in pressure situations, we can execute when our backs are up against the wall.