Nigeria’s D’Tigress raced into the semi-finals of the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket on Thursday night, defeating Cameroon 83-47 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Following a rocky start, D’Tigress, who are vying for their seventh continental title, lost no time exerting their supremacy. Cameroon led 4-0, but Nigeria, guided by head coach Rena Wakama, quickly recovered and never looked back.
Nigeria grabbed control midway through the first quarter and led 36-18 at halftime. Forward Amy Okonkwo set the tone with a scorching performance in the first half, scoring 15 points and grabbing 5 rebounds.
Cameroon, visibly exhausted from their late-night qualification win against Angola, were unable to match the D’Tigress’s fresh legs and relentless pace.
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By the third quarter, the outcome was beyond dispute. The score read 66-31, and the margin only widened from there. Okonkwo finished with 18 points, 6 rebounds, and an assist, while Ezinne Kalu, as cool and clinical as ever, contributed five assists.
Nicole Enabosi contributed 12 points and three rebounds, and Victoria Macaulay had 12 points, four rebounds, two blocks, and a steal. Elizabeth Balogun also impressed with 11 points and a strong defensive performance.
The result sets up a thrilling semi-final match between Nigeria and rival Senegal.
Beyond chasing continental gold, the D’Tigress, along with other semifinalists Mali, Senegal, and South Sudan, have qualified for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifying rounds.
The African quartet will compete for a spot in the 2026 World Cup alongside 20 other national teams from across the world, including the United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Puerto Rico, and Colombia.
