The deal will see SportyTV air selected NBA games and special events on its free television platform from next season through September 2028.

The partnership begins this Thursday with Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons. For the remainder of the current season, SportyTV will show eight playoff and NBA Finals games.

Beginning next season, the broadcaster will offer a wider package that includes weekly NBA Saturday games, NBA Christmas Day fixtures, NBA All-Star Weekend programming, selected Play-In Tournament games and extensive playoff coverage, including the NBA Finals.

Vice President of Media, Marketing and Business Development at Sporty Group, Elias Gallego, said the agreement was designed to make NBA content more accessible to African audiences.

“There’s a difference between content being available and it being accessible. This deal closes that gap with NBA games, across mobile, smart TVs, and digital platforms, built around how people actually watch today,” Gallego said.

Fans across the four countries will have the opportunity to watch some of the NBA’s biggest stars, including LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Luka Dončić, Nikola Jokić, Victor Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The coverage will also spotlight players with African roots and connections, such as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid.

Apart from live games, SportyTV will broadcast daily highlights, classic NBA content and historic matchups featuring legendary figures like Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon and Dikembe Mutombo.

The addition of the NBA further strengthens SportyTV’s basketball portfolio, which already includes coverage of the Euroleague.

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The end-of-year Ozobz Elite Basketball Invitational Tournament, tagged “Championing the Youth Through Sports, Education and Opportunity,” has taken off and will be concluded on Friday. The three-day event is taking place at the Indoor Sports Multipurpose Gymnasium, Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.

The grassroots basketball competition is designed to serve as a platform for discovering and nurturing the next generation of Nigerian basketball talent.

A total of 14 teams — eight male and six female sides drawn from across the country — are competing for honours in what promises to be an exciting three-day basketball spectacle.

The tournament is powered by the Anthony Ozubuekwe Foundation, in collaboration with the Enugu State Ministry for Youth and Sports Development and the Enugu State Basketball Association.

Organisers say fans should expect high-quality action, with displays of skill, athleticism and tactical awareness from some of the most promising young players in the country.

According to the organisers, the initiative is structured to positively engage young people, steering them away from social vices and criminal tendencies, while using sports as a tool for education, personal development and opportunity creation.

They added that the tournament will also give coaches and team officials a valuable opportunity to assess the mental readiness, discipline and competitive mindset of the players, while providing a conducive environment for athletes to interact, bond and learn from one another.

The competition will be played in a round-robin format, with attractive prize money on offer. In the men’s category, the champions will receive ₦2 million and a giant trophy, while the runners-up will earn ₦1.5 million.

In the women’s category, the winning team will go home with ₦1.5 million, while the second-placed team will receive ₦750,000.

With its blend of competition, youth empowerment and community development, the Ozobz Elite Basketball Invitational is expected to be one of the standout grassroots sports events of the year in Enugu State.

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The milestone celebration, according to Evelyn Childs, Public Relations Officer of the US-based Imo Women Elite Club (IWEC), will take place at the expansive Onitsha compound of the nonagenarian, who is highly regarded in his community.

Born on April 17, 1936, to Akudo and Agnes Nwora of the Okakwu family in Ogbedogwu Village, Onitsha, Chief Nworah’s early years reflected strong family values rooted in education and public service. He attended St. Mary’s Catholic School before moving on to Prince Commercial College, and later completed his secondary education at Baptist High School, Osogbo, in Osun State.

Chief Nworah began his career in the civil service at a young age with the Post and Telecommunications Service (P&T), where his father also served and retired as a senior manager. His professional journey continued seamlessly into Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) following the merger of P&T with the Nigerian External Telecommunications.

Alex Nwora, who led D’Tigers through notable periods of growth and international competition, is expected to play a central role in the celebration, which will bring together members of the extended Nwora family and the Onitsha community to honour the life and legacy of the elder statesman.

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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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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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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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Okonkwo, who spent the entire 40 minutes of the title game to finish with 19 points, headlined the All-Tournament Team alongside Cierra Dillard (Senegal), Delicia Washington (South Sudan), Jane Asinde (Uganda) and Sika Kone (Mali).

Here’s a look at how the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket All-Star came about.

Thanks to an incredible run in five games, Okonkwo won the highly sought-after award back-to-back, emerging as the D’Tigresses’ best scorer.

She saved the best for last, scoring 19 points in the final against Mali and finishing with double digits in all but one match (against Mozambique, where she scored eight).

Over the course of the five games, Okonkwo averaged 14 points, 6 rebounds, and an efficiency rating of 15.6.

Cierra Dillard (SENEGAL)

Without her, Senegal would have struggled to reach the Final Four.

Despite an injury that threatened to sideline her from the 2025 event, Dillard led the team with an average efficiency rating of 16.8, 13.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game.

Delicia Washington (SOUTH SUDAN)

Since her South Sudan debut, the 28-year-old has been quite the revelation for the East Africans.

In Abidjan, where she led the Bright Starlets of South Sudan to a historic bronze medal win in her debut, she averaged 18.2 points and went on to win the Best Scorer award, achieving double digits in all six matches.

She opened her campaign with a double-double against Mali, scoring 18 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. She was also two assists shy of a double-double in the third-place win against the 11-time champions, Senegal.

Jane Asinde (UGANDA)

Although Uganda settled for eighth place, their captain, Asinde, stood out with 15.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game.

She led her team with an efficiency rating of 17.6, the highest among the Zone Five champions.

Sika Kone (MALI)

The WNBA star was Mali’s knight in shining armour in their quest to end an 18-year title drought, averaging 10.4 points and 11 rebounds.

She bounced back from a slow start against South Sudan in the group phase, when she scored only three points in 24 minutes, to register three double-doubles.

She went 15/16 on points and rebounds against Cameroon, 12/12 against Mozambique in the quarterfinals, and 16/13 in the final against Nigeria.

Other awards

Best Rebounder – Maria Teresa Gakdeng (South Sudan)

 Best 3-Point Shooter– Jessica Thomas (Cameroon)

 Best Scorer – Delicia Washington (South Sudan).

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Also, for the second time within a week, Nigeria has become the African champions in women’s football and in women’s basketball!

Nigeria overcame a resilient Mali on the last day of the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket to become the first team to win the tournament five times in a row.

The 78-64 victory was one of Nigeria’s toughest of the tournament.

With this win, Nigeria extended their winning streak to 29-0, dating back to the third-place game of the 2015 tournament in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

As was the case for most of their initial games in the tournament, Nigeria got off to a slow start.

However, feeling threatened by Mali’s intensity, Rena Wakama’s team regrouped in the second quarter and headed to the locker room tied at 41–41.

But contrary to what the final scoreline may suggest, it was not an easy win for Nigeria. Mali took the first quarter with a 26-21 win.

However, in the second quarter, they came back, taking a 20-15 win. They had the same scores in the third quarter before asserting their supremacy in the final quarter with a 17-8 win.

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Djeneba N’Diaye is Mali’s top scorer, averaging 12.5 points per game.

Sika Koné is a force of nature who has been pivotal for Mali. She contributes on both ends of the floor, but she causes the most damage to opponents near the basket with her 10.5 rebounds.

Kone has also registered two double-doubles in four games.

Kone has the highest efficiency rating of any player heading to the finals, averaging 14.8, one more than Marjunatu Musa.

Okonkwo has been vital for Nigeria, but her teammate, Ezinne Kalu, has done it all.

From disrupting opponents’ crucial plays with her steals to scoring when it matters most, Kalu has proven to be a game-changer for Nigeria.

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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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