Nigeria’s D’Tigress defeated Cameroon 83-47 on Thursday night in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, advancing them to the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket semifinals.
After a difficult start, D’Tigress, who are aiming for their seventh continental title, wasted little time in establishing their dominance. Nigeria, under the leadership of head coach Rena Wakama, reacted right away after Cameroon had taken a 4-0 lead and never looked back.
Nigeria gained the upper hand halfway through the first quarter and led 36–18 at the break. With a scorching effort that included 15 points and 5 rebounds in the first half alone, forward Amy Okonkwo set the pace.
Read Also: “We Tolerated Buhari for 8 Years — We Can Endure Tinubu Till 2031” – Babangida Aliyu
The fresh legs and intense pace of the D’Tigress were too much for Cameroon, who were clearly exhausted from their late-night qualification victory over Angola.
The outcome was certain by the third quarter. The score was 66-31, and the difference continued to widen. As always composed and clinical, Ezinne Kalu contributed five assists to Okonkwo’s final stats of 18 points, 6 rebounds, and an assist.
Victoria Macaulay contributed 12 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks, and a steal, while Nicole Enabosi contributed 12 points and 3 rebounds. With 11 points and a strong defensive performance, Elizabeth Balogun also made an impression.
The triumph sets up a thrilling matchup between Nigeria and rival Senegal in the semi-finals.
The D’Tigress, along with fellow semifinalists Mali, Senegal, and South Sudan, have now qualified for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifying rounds, moving beyond their pursuit of regional championships.
The African quartet will compete for a spot at the 2026 World Cup alongside 20 other national teams from around the globe, including the US, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Puerto Rico, and Colombia.
