D’TIGRESS STUN SENEGAL TO REACH FIBA WOMEN’S AFROBASKET FINAL – 28 STRAIGHT WINS, UNMATCHED NIGERIAN DOMINANCE
By: IDNN Sports Desk
ABIDJAN, CÔTE D’IVOIRE — Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, delivered a masterclass in mental toughness and athletic brilliance on Saturday night, outlasting eternal rivals Senegal 75–68 to advance to the final of the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket.
The electrifying semifinal clash, held at the Palais des Sports de Treichville, lived up to its billing as “The Final Before The Final”. And once again, it was Nigeria who stood tall.
This win not only handed Senegal a painful defeat but extended Nigeria’s continental winning streak to 28 matches, a run that stretches back to 2015. D’Tigress are now one game away from clinching a record fifth consecutive AfroBasket title — an achievement no African basketball team, male or female, has ever matched.
How It Happened: A Tale of Four Quarters
Senegal came out firing, racing to an 11–2 lead within the first three minutes. But Coach Rena Wakama’s D’Tigress responded with a blistering 13–0 run, flipping the script to close Q1 at 22–17.
The second quarter remained tight, with Nigeria edging it 21–20, building a slim lead at halftime.
The real drama unfolded in the third quarter. Senegal, fuelled by their vocal supporters, unleashed a 12-point swing, dominating the period 21–9 to go up 58–52 heading into the final stretch.
But Nigeria wasn’t done.
“Coach just said, ‘Remember who you are. Defend your crown,’” guard Promise Amukamara told IDNN post-match.
The response? A fourth-quarter explosion: 23–10 in Nigeria’s favour. Final score: 75–68. The queens had reasserted their dominance.
Star Performers
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Ezinne Kalu (2019 MVP): 19 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
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Promise Amukamara: 16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists
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Amy Okonkwo (Captain): 15 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist
Senegal’s Cierra Dilliard stood tall in defeat with 26 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists.
World Cup Qualifier Secured
By reaching the semifinals, D’Tigress have automatically qualified for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournaments, to be held next March.
They will be joined by fellow semifinalists Mali, Senegal, and South Sudan, alongside basketball heavyweights like USA, Canada, Germany, China, Brazil, and Australia.
Each qualifying tournament will feature six teams, with the best advancing to the 2026 World Cup in Germany.
The Final Awaits
D’Tigress will now face the winner of the other semifinal between Mali and South Sudan.
Victory would etch their names into African basketball history — five straight titles, a dynasty forged through resilience, chemistry, and sheer grit.
“This is legacy. This is family. We’re not done,” Coach Wakama told IDNN as the team huddled midcourt.
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