By Atoyebi Nike
Nigeria’s national women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, has etched its name in the history books by becoming the first team to win five consecutive FIBA Women’s AfroBasket titles.
In Sunday’s final at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, the Nigerian side defeated Mali 78-64 to secure their seventh overall title.
The 2025 tournament, which featured 12 teams, kicked off on July 27 and culminated with the championship showdown between Africa’s top-ranked teams World No. 11 Nigeria and No. 24 Mali.
Ezinne Kalu led the Nigerian charge with 20 points, four rebounds, and five assists, while Amy Okonkwo contributed 19 points and nine rebounds. Mali’s Sika Koné fought back with 16 points and 13 rebounds, while teammates Sira Thienou and Djeneba N’Diaye chipped in 12 points each.
Mali opened the scoring with a three-pointer from Foune Sissoko. Nigeria trailed 26-21 at the end of the first quarter but regrouped to draw level at halftime, 41–41, led by Kalu, Okonkwo, and Murjanatu Musatto.
The title holders pushed ahead 61-56 after the third quarter and gradually widened the gap. A late three-pointer from Victoria Macaulay sealed the win, marking Nigeria’s 29th straight AfroBasket victory since 2015.
Head Coach Rena Wakama, the first woman to lead D’Tigress, praised Mali for their intensity and tactics. “They are extremely disciplined and fast. We told the girls we had to stop their transition points and protect the paint. We took some hits but found a way to finish strong,” she said.
In the third-place playoff, South Sudan shocked 11-time champions Senegal with a narrow 66-65 win.
FIBA confirmed that Nigeria, Mali, South Sudan, and Senegal will join 20 other nations in the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifiers.
