Defending champions Nigeria D’Tigress stormed into the semi-finals of the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket with a dominant 83-47 victory over Cameroon on Thursday night at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan.
With the emphatic win, the six-time African champions not only booked a semi-final date with Senegal but also secured their place in the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifying tournaments.
Cameroon started brightly, opening the scoring with a 4-0 run, but Nigeria quickly took control, going ahead 7-4 and never looking back. The energy and depth of Coach Rena Wakama’s squad proved too much for a fatigued Cameroonian side, who had only just battled Angola in a tough late-night qualifier.
By halftime, Nigeria were comfortably in front, 36-18, led by a commanding performance from Amy Okonkwo. The forward delivered 15 points and five rebounds in the first half and maintained her dominance throughout the game, finishing with 18 points, six rebounds, and one assist.
Victoria Macaulay came off the bench to add intensity and impact, contributing 12 points, four rebounds, one assist, a steal, and two blocks.
Point guard Ezinne Kalu orchestrated the attack with composure and precision, recording five assists. Nicole Enabosi (12 points, 3 rebounds) and Elizabeth Balogun (11 points, 5 rebounds) also played key roles in Nigeria’s total team performance.
The D’Tigress led 66-31 at the end of the third quarter and maintained their strong grip until the final buzzer.
With the win, Nigeria joins Mali, Senegal, and South Sudan as the four African teams to qualify for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournaments. These teams will compete among 24 nations worldwide for a spot in the prestigious tournament.
Other qualified teams include the USA, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Puerto Rico, and Colombia from the Americas.
