Basketball
How Nigeria beat Senegal for the 7th time in a row to reach the 5th straight finals Women’s AfroBasket Final
Nigeria’s D’Tigress are one win away from a historic fifth straight Women’s AfroBasket title after overcoming a fierce battle against old rivals Senegal with a gritty 75–68 semifinal victory on Saturday night at the packed Palais des Sports de Treichville.
In what was arguably the most intense encounter of the 2025 tournament, the defending champions had to dig deep to extend their staggering unbeaten AfroBasket run to 28 games — a streak that dates back to October 2015. The win also marked Nigeria’s seventh consecutive victory over Senegal since 2011.
The tightly contested affair saw three major lead changes and a dramatic final stretch where experience and composure made all the difference.
Turning Point: Kalu’s Clutch Steal
With just under two minutes left on the clock and the score tied at 66–66, 2019 MVP Ezinne Kalu turned the tide. She picked Senegal’s Lena Timera clean and sprinted for a fast-break layup that restored Nigeria’s lead — a basket that proved to be the game’s defining moment.
Victory Macaulay followed it up with a critical hook shot to give Nigeria a 69–66 cushion, which would prove insurmountable as Senegal’s offense crumbled under pressure.
Late Surge Seals It
Down the stretch, Promise Amukamara delivered from the free throw line, sinking four consecutive shots to extend Nigeria’s advantage. The defending champions outscored Senegal 10–3 in the final three minutes, showcasing the poise and big-game mentality that has defined their reign in African women’s basketball.
Nigeria’s Big Four Deliver
The quartet of Kalu, Amukamara, Amy Okonkwo, and Macaulay powered Nigeria’s offensive engine, combining for 63 of the team’s 75 points. With Murjanatu Musa fouled out, Macaulay anchored the paint, finishing with three blocks and three steals to complement her clutch scoring.
Senegal’s Resistance and Dillard’s Heroics
Senegal’s leader, Cierra Dillard, gave a commanding performance with 26 points, seven rebounds, and three assists. She kept her side within striking distance throughout, but a series of costly turnovers — 23 in total, with 14 coming in the second half — undercut their comeback hopes.
Dillard’s frustration was evident after fouling out with nine seconds remaining on the shot clock. Her only major support came from Ndioma Kane, who added 14 points, as no other Senegalese player reached double figures.
Numbers That Tell the Story
Nigeria’s suffocating interior defence recorded five blocks and consistently disrupted Senegal’s rhythm. While Senegal shot a respectable 21-of-32 from the free throw line, those missed opportunities proved costly against a champion that thrives under pressure.
Voices from the Court
Nigeria centre Victoria Macaulay hailed her team’s resilience:
“On defence, we had to dig deep, trust each other, and get stops. We got there, and we won the game. I am thankful for my girls and for giving our all and playing together.”
Senegal coach Otis Hughley Jr., who previously guided Nigeria to two AfroBasket titles, saw promise in his young side:
“We had nine players without AfroBasket experience. We did something monumental by challenging the champions… At some point, it looked like we could pull it off.”
A disappointed Cierra Dillard reflected on missed chances:
“I wish I could take back my last three. I am disappointed in myself and my performance… I should have shown better leadership.”
The Bigger Picture
Officiated by an all-female crew — Ariadna Chueca (Spain), Nagede Zouzou (Côte d’Ivoire), and Aya Khaled Ahmed (Egypt) — this heavyweight semifinal was a celebration of the growing power and quality of women’s basketball in Africa.
Now, Nigeria awaits the winner of the second semifinal between Mali and South Sudan in what promises to be another test of their dominance.
One more win, and D’Tigress will hoist the AfroBasket trophy for a record-extending sixth time.
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred national honours on all members of Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, in recognition of their historic victory at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship in Côte d’Ivoire.
Each member of the team was decorated with the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) title at a special reception held on Monday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Representing the president at the event was Vice President Kashim Shettima, who announced a series of generous rewards for the champions.
In addition to the national honours, each player will receive $100,000, while each member of the technical crew will be given $50,000. The government also pledged a flat in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to every player and official on the squad.
The rewards follow D’Tigress’s emphatic 78-64 win over Mali in Sunday’s AfroBasket final, played at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan. The victory marked Nigeria’s fifth consecutive AfroBasket title, a feat unmatched in the tournament’s history. With the triumph, D’Tigress also secured an automatic berth to the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, Germany.
President Tinubu, in his remarks delivered by Vice President Shettima, hailed the team’s resilience, determination, and consistency, describing their dominance on the continental stage as a symbol of national pride and inspiration to the youth.
Present at the reception were First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, Garba Maidoki, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Youths and Sports Development, and Kabiru Amadou, Chairman of the House Committee on Sports.
The honours and incentives underscore the government’s renewed commitment to recognising excellence in sports and motivating future champions.
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Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated the national women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, on their triumphant outing at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket, describing the victory as a testament to the nation’s indomitable spirit and sporting excellence.
In line with what the women’s football team, Super Falcons, experienced barely a week ago, another dollar rainfall could be in the offing for the basketball team.
In a statement released Monday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu praised the Coach Rena Wakama-led side for their “skill, resilience, determination, and teamwork,” which powered them to a 78–64 victory over Mali in Sunday night’s pulsating final at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
With this win, Nigeria extended their dominance in African women’s basketball, securing their fifth consecutive AfroBasket title and seventh overall, further solidifying their status as the continent’s most successful women’s team.
The President, who had earlier dispatched a nine-man presidential delegation to Abidjan to support the team in the final, commended the players for rising to the occasion despite a slow start that saw them lose the first quarter to a determined Malian side.
“Your superb performance throughout the competition has made Nigeria proud. Like the Super Falcons, you have inspired our young ladies. You embodied the indomitable Nigerian spirit, the power of unity, and the rewards of hard work,” President Tinubu said.
He added that D’Tigress’ sustained excellence had “written their names in history” and served as a beacon of what Africa can offer on the global sporting stage.
The President also praised Head Coach Rena Wakama and her technical crew for their outstanding leadership, and commended the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) for their steadfast support to the team.
In an apparent nod to the recent cash rewards showered on the Super Falcons, there is strong speculation that a similar financial windfall may await D’Tigress on their return to Nigeria.
“The Federal Government and Nigerians will never forget the sacrifices and remain grateful for the highly elevating performances,” Tinubu stated, assuring the team of continued support as they prepare for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifying tournaments next March.
President Tinubu concluded his message by expressing eagerness to personally receive the victorious team and their trophy in Abuja and wished them a safe trip back home.
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South Sudan’s Bright Starlets are the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket bronze medallist.
The debutants who made the competition on a wild card, stunned 11-time champions Senegal 66-65 in the Third-Place Game on Sunday, August 3 to clinch their first ever medal in the continental showpiece.
Their win over Senegal, who were looking to end a decade-long wait for gold, makes it the third time the West Africans have missed out on the podium in 26 editions. They missed in the inaugural edition in 1966 and in 2021 in Cameroon, finishing fourth on both occasions.
Senegal had a start to forget, scoring a single point in the opening seven minutes, finishing the period trailing 26-10. An 18-9 show in the second stanza got their comeback efforts going.
South Sudan still had a 10-point lead with 4 minutes and 41 seconds to play in the third, but Victorine Thiaw contributed seven in a 10-0 run for the Senegalese, to level the score at 44 and it was game on.
Khadija Faye handed Senegal their first short-lived lead at 46-45, but they trailed 50-48 heading to the final quarter.
Lena Timera gave the 11-time champions their biggest lead yet with a step back jump shot from deep for 58-54 but the debutants refused to budge.
A dramatic final minute saw Thiaw and Faye miss four crucial points from the charity stripe with the score tied at 65. Cierra Dillard’s foul with 6 seconds left gave Nyamer Lual Diew the chance to win it for South Sudan, converting one for the massive victory.
HERO
Maria Teresa Gakdeng, on debut for the Bright Starlets, has continued to prove a formidable addition for the East Africans, and she demonstrated that yet again with a huge performance.
She came two blocks shy of a triple-double after shooting for 14, the team’s second highest, while grabbing 13 rebounds and added three assists to finish with an efficiency rating of 26.
Skipper Adut Bulgak scored 14 as well, while leading the side on defense with 11 of her 13 rebounds. Delicia Washington was the side’s top scorer with 22, coming two assists off a double-double and adding 5 rebounds.
The trio will, however, have Diew to thank for the victory in regulation time, as a miss would probably have send the match to overtime.
STATS DON’T LIE
Despite allowing Senegal to score 30 from their 29 turnovers, and missing 14 of their 32 chances from the charity stripe, South Sudan kept themselves in the game with a better show on field goals where they converted 45.8% of their chances against Senegal’s 38.3%.
They out rebounded Senegal 44-26, 29-17 on defense to deny the 2023 silver medalist any second chance scoring opportunities.
BOTTOM LINE
South Sudan have left an indelible mark on debut, reaching the podium in a historic run that saw them come from two losses in the Group Phase to beat Egypt, Uganda and Senegal for the very first time and become the first debutant to be on the podium.
The West Africans, meanwhile, will have some reflections as they are yet to reclaim their dominance of yesteryears. This is the second time since their last title in 2015 that they are missing out on the podium.
WHAT THEY SAID: “Wins happen, losses happen, you can’t win them all. What really matters in sports is how you regroup the next day. You have to have a short memory in this field.
Speaking to our resilience as a team and the mental toughness that took to overcome what happened yesterday [semifinal loss against Mali] and throughout this tournament… This is our first run in AfroBasket and our team deserves to be here.
“The girls have shown it this time around, especially of how young they are. I am looking forward to what the future has for us.” South Sudan power forward Adut Bulgak.
FIBA
Final Standing of the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket
1. Nigeria 2. Mali 3. South Sudan 4. Senegal 5. Cameroon 6. Mozambique 7. Cote d’Ivoire 8. Uganda 9. Egypt 10. Angola 11. Rwanda 12. Guinea
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