Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, made a thunderous statement on Thursday night, flattening Cameroon 83-47 in Abidjan to reach the AfroBasket 2025 semi-finals — www.naijnaira.com reports.
A blistering start by Cameroon briefly threatened an upset, but Nigeria’s quick reaction wiped that out before the first quarter ended, according to ACLSports.
Once they seized control, they never let go—pushing the pace, defending with intent, and spreading scoring across the lineup.
Amy Okonkwo powered through the first half with 15 points and 5 rebounds, setting the tempo with her aggressive play.
Victoria Macaulay added punch from the bench, while multiple players hit double digits, marking the third game in a row that Nigeria managed this feat.
By the third quarter, the contest was one-sided: 66-31 and fully in Nigeria’s grip.
Okonkwo ended the night with 18 points, while Ezinne Kalu directed play with poise and tallied five assists.
Nicole Enabosi, Victoria Macaulay, and Elizabeth Balogun also made strong contributions on both ends of the court.
Nigeria now gears up to face Senegal, who squeezed past Côte d’Ivoire in their quarter-final clash earlier on Thursday.
That game will be steeped in emotion and strategy, with ex-D’Tigress coach Otis Hughley Jr. now calling the shots for Senegal.
Though the matchup promises tension, Nigeria has recent history on their side, winning their last seven encounters with Senegal, including three finals.
Senegal hasn’t beaten Nigeria since 2006—a fact that could weigh heavily on both teams as they prepare.
Coach Rena Wakama’s team is looking solid, combining discipline and flair, and eyeing a fifth consecutive AfroBasket title.
Regardless of how the semi-final unfolds, Nigeria and the other three teams—Senegal, Mali, and South Sudan—have secured a spot in next year’s World Cup qualifiers.
The pressure is rising, but D’Tigress seem locked in and focused on the bigger prize.
Article updated 4 weeks ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
