D’Tigress Advance to 2025 Women’s Afrobasket Final After Gritty Win Over Senegal
Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, have booked their place in the final of the 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket after a hard-fought 75–68 victory over Senegal on Saturday, August 2, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The semi-final encounter, held at the Palais des Sports de Treichville, marks Nigeria’s fifth straight appearance in the championship final since 2017 — a remarkable run of consistency on the continental stage.
Having eased past Cameroon in the quarter-finals, D’Tigress faced a sterner challenge against arch-rivals Senegal in a clash that carried added significance. Senegal were led by Otis Hughley, the former D’Tigress head coach who guided Nigeria to three consecutive Afrobasket titles between 2017 and 2021.
Nigeria started the game strongly, taking a 22–17 lead at the end of the first quarter and holding a 43–37 advantage at halftime. However, Senegal responded with increased defensive intensity in the third quarter, limiting Nigeria to just nine points and swinging the momentum in their favour. By the end of the third quarter, D’Tigress trailed 58–52.
In the final quarter, however, the Nigerian team showed their championship pedigree. With improved ball handling, critical defensive stops, and timely shooting, they staged an impressive comeback to seal a 7-point win.
D’Tigress will face Mali in the final on Sunday, August 3, as they aim to make history by becoming the first nation to win five consecutive Women’s Afrobasket titles.
The team’s resilience and experience continue to shine through, reaffirming their status as the dominant force in African women’s basketball.
