In Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria’s D’Tigress easily defeated Cameroon 83-47 on Thursday night, advancing them to the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket semifinals.
Following an unsteady start, D’Tigress, who are vying for a seventh continental title, wasted little time in establishing their supremacy. Nigeria, under head coach Rena Wakama, replied right away after Cameroon’s 4-0 run to start the game and never looked back.
Nigeria grabbed charge in the middle of the first quarter and increased their lead to 36-18 at the half. The pace was set by forward Amy Okonkwo, who scored 15 points and pulled down 5 rebounds in the first half alone.
Clearly exhausted from their late-night qualification victory against Angola, Cameroon was unable to match the D’Tigress’s youthful legs and fierce pace.
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By the third quarter, the outcome was certain. The gap continued to increase after the scoreline read 66-31. Ezinne Kalu, who is always composed and clinical, contributed five assists, while Okonkwo concluded with 18 points, six rebounds, and an assist.
In addition to Victoria Macaulay’s 12 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks, and steal, Nicole Enabosi contributed 12 points and 3 rebounds. Elizabeth Balogun, who scored 11 points and played strong defense, also made an impression.
The win puts Nigeria and rival Senegal in a thrilling semi-final matchup.
The D’Tigress have qualified for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifying competitions, joining fellow semifinalists Mali, Senegal, and South Sudan, in addition to pursuing continental championships.
In the competition for a spot at the 2026 World Cup, the African quartet will compete among 20 other national teams from around the globe, including the US, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Puerto Rico, and Colombia.
