Women’s Afrobasket: The D’Tigress’ Path to a Historic 5-peat

Nigeria’s National Women’s Basketball team, D’Tigress, have made history yet again, as they beat Mali 78-64 to win their seventh and fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship on Sunday, August 3, 2025, at the Palais des Sports de Treichville, Côte d’Ivoire.

The D’Tigress reinstated their dominance by going unbeaten in yet another tournament, despite the tough opponents they faced on their way to success. They have stretched their unbeaten run to 29 games, avoiding defeat in all tournament editions since 2015.

D’Tigress players celebrate after winning the FIBA Women’s Afrobasket in Abidjan… on Sunday, August 3, 2025. Photo: (FIBA)

After pulling off a four-peat in the 2023 edition, the D’Tigress were saddled with the task of going one better and doing a five-peat and they did just that. In 2023, Nigeria’s four-peat meant only they and Senegal had achieved such a feat, but this year’s five-peat sees them stand alone in the history books.

D’Tigress players pose for the championship photo after winning the FIBA Women’s Afrobasket in Abidjan… on Sunday, August 3, 2025. Photo: (FIBA)

How did it happen?

Their campaign in the eighth edition of the Women’s Afrobasket Championship began with a statement victory – a 92-45 demolition of Rwanda. The second game proved tougher as the D’Tigress found themselves struggling to make shots, they trailed 9-13 at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, they were down 24-28. The third quarter saw the D’Tigress reduce the deficit to one, 42-43. In the fourth and final quarter, they stepped up defensively with Murjanatu Musa, Ezinne Kalu and Pallas Kunayi leading the way in blocks and steals to snatch a 60-55 victory against Mozambique.

Having won both, the Rena Wakama-led side secured qualification to the quarterfinals, where they faced Cameroon. The fixture brought back sour moments as Nigeria’s last defeat at the FIBA Women’s Afrobasket came against Cameroon( then host Nation), in the semi-final on Friday, October 2, 2015, losing by just a point, 71-70.

The match-up was a highly anticipated one, with spectators expecting a very tightly contested affair, but the D’Tigress had other plans as they annihilated Cameroon 83-47 to advance to the semi-final of the tournament and set up a clash with 11-time champions Senegal, whom they also defeated.

The clash against Senegal lived up to the billing in terms of competitiveness but it was the D’Tigress who emerged victorious, winning 75-68. And to the very big one, the tough but done victory over Senegal, set up a repeat of the 2021 final where Nigeria won 70-59 against Mali. Mali came to the encounter chasing a second FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship title, having only won once in 2007, but they had to get past a very hungry pack of Tigresses and they could not.

The Very Big One – The Final

Despite trailing early, losing 21-26 in the first quarter, Nigeria fought back in the second and tied the game 41-41. They won 61-56 in the third and stepped up defensively, limiting Mali to just eight points, ultimately winning 78-64 at the sound of the final buzzer to further solidify their place among Africa’s elite basketball clubs.

With 49 points between them, Amy Okonkwo, Ezinne Kalu, and Victoria Macaulay accounted for more than half of Nigeria’s 78 points, reminding everyone of their crucial role in the team’s success throughout the tournament.

Okonkwo spent the entire game on the floor and was eventually named the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Most Valuable Player (MVP).

She has now joined a unique group of players with two MVP awards, alongside Mfon Udoka (2003 and 2005), Aya Traore (2009 and 2015), and Nacissela Mauricio (2011 and 2013).

The victory means that Nigeria have now been crowned champion of the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship seven times and five times in a row: winning in 2003, 2005, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025. They have also secured a place in the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, Germany although the African champions will participate in the World Cup Qualifying Tournaments in March next year.

The infallible Coach Rena Wakama who had made history in 2023 as the first woman to lead the team to the title, now becomes the first to do it back-to-back. She also has an impressive personal record of 9-0 at the tournament, having not lost a single game at AfroBasket since taking charge of D’Tigress in 2023.

Final Standing of the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket:

1. Nigeria
2. Mali
3. South Sudan
4. Senegal
5. Cameroon
6. Mozambique
7. Cote d’Ivoire
8. Uganda
9. Egypt
10. Angola
11. Rwanda
12. Guinea