Nigeria’s D’Tigress have secured their spot in the semi-finals of the 2025 Women’s Afrobasket tournament in Abidjan, defeating Cameroon 83-47 in a commanding victory Thursday night.
The win keeps their title defense campaign on track and extends their unbeaten run in Africa to 27 games, a streak dating back to 2015.
The team, led by head coach Rena Wakama, is now just two wins away from a historic fifth consecutive title. Only Senegal has previously achieved a similar feat of four straight titles.
The quarter-final match at Palais des Sports de Treichville began with a brief scare as Cameroon's Indomitable Lionesses took a 4-0 lead early. However, the reigning champions quickly seized control. After Amy Okonkwo, the tournament’s reigning MVP, got the team on the scoreboard, a jump shot from Elizabeth Balogun put Nigeria ahead 5-4. An explosive 8-0 run in the final 2:40 of the first quarter saw D’Tigress pull away with a 21-9 lead.
Cameroon adjusted in the second quarter, matching Nigeria with 20 points, but their first-quarter deficit left them trailing 41-29 at halftime. The game was ultimately sealed in the third quarter when Nigeria went on a decisive 25-2 run, neutralizing any hope of a comeback for the 2021 bronze medalists.
Following the victory, guard Ezinne Kalu credited the team's performance to their signature style of play. “We just needed to stick together and play Nigerian basketball,” Kalu said. “This is the definition of Nigerian basketball: fighting, throwing the first punch, setting the tone, and bringing the energy to win over our supporters and fans.”
Nigeria will now face Senegal in a highly anticipated semi-final showdown on Saturday.
