By Akinwale Kasali
The Nations Female Basketball Team, D’Tigress, has emerged winner of the African Female Afrobasket Tournament for the fifth Consecutive time, defeating Mali 78-64 in a pulsating final.
Nigeria’s Women’s Basketball team, therefore, reaffirmed its dominance on the African stage with that commanding victory over Mali in the finals of the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship.
The win, also, marks a historic fifth consecutive AfroBasket title for Nigeria, making them the first team in tournament history to achieve such a feat.
Mali started the game strongly, taking a 26–21 lead in the first quarter, but Nigeria’s experience and composure proved crucial. By halftime, both teams were tied 41–41, setting the stage for a fiercely contested second half.
Led by their seasoned core, the D’Tigress pulled away in the third quarter, tightening their defense and finding rhythm on offense. Mali, though tenacious, struggled to keep pace as Nigeria surged ahead in the final stretch.
A late fourth-quarter push from Nigeria sealed the 14-point win, sparking celebrations on and off the court.
Nigeria entered the finals undefeated, having topped their group and dispatched Cameroon and Senegal in the knockout stages.
Mali also arrived unbeaten and were widely tipped as strong contenders, featuring a youthful and energetic squad with an average age of just 24.
This final was a rematch of the 2021 showdown between both nations, where Nigeria had also prevailed.
With eight returning players on each side, the rivalry was intense and deeply personal.
With today’s win, Nigeria not only retained their AfroBasket crown but also secured an automatic ticket to the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin.
Speaking after the game, Coach Rene Wakama lauded the team’s discipline, resilience, and unity.
“We’ve shown again that Nigeria is the heartbeat of African basketball.
“Five titles in a row is no small feat,” said one member of the coaching staff.
As the curtain falls on this year’s tournament, Nigeria stands tall—undefeated, unrivalled, and undeniably Africa’s Queen of the court.
Enroute the final, the National Team defeated Senegal 75-68 in the semi-final game at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan on Saturday.
D’Tigress progressed to the semi-final after trouncing Cameroon in the quarter-final on Thursday.
In the quarterfinals, Nigeria delivered an 83-47 thrashing of Cameroon.
Against Senegal, the D’Tigress started strong, taking the first quarter 22-17.
They maintained momentum in the second quarter, winning 21-20 to secure a six-point lead at the halftime break.
They began with a commanding 92-45 victory against Rwanda to start their group phase.
They followed this with a 60-55 defeat of Mozambique to wrap up their group stage undefeated.
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