D’Tigress Eye History Against Mali in Women’s AfroBasket Final

By Vince Somade‑Vincent The Nigerian women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, are one win away from making history as they prepare to face Mali in the final of the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket. It’s a showdown set for 7pm WAT this Sunday at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan. Having already won four consecutive titles, […]

By Vince Somade‑Vincent

The Nigerian women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, are one win away from making history as they prepare to face Mali in the final of the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket. It’s a showdown set for 7pm WAT this Sunday at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan. Having already won four consecutive titles, Nigeria will be looking to clinch a fifth straight crown and a seventh overall, firmly cementing their status as Africa’s basketball queens. But standing in their way is a hungry Malian side aiming to lift the trophy for only the second time in their history, and the first since 2007.

D’Tigress booked their place in the final after a hard-fought 75–68 victory over Senegal in the semi-finals. The game was a test of maturity with Nigeria storming back from a third-quarter deficit thanks to a late surge led by Ezinne Kalu, Victoria Macaulay, Promise Amukamara, and Amy Okonkwo. The champions showed their trademark resilience, dominating the final quarter with a 23–10 run that turned the game on its head. It was Nigeria’s seventh consecutive win over Senegal and stretched their AfroBasket winning streak to an astonishing 28 games.

One major figure behind this remarkable run is head coach Rena Wakama, who continues to put her name in the history books. Wakama, the first female coach of the D’Tigress, has brought not just tactical discipline but also unity and belief into the team. Under her guidance, Nigeria has not only remained unbeaten in the competition but has done so with style and composure. Her leadership was widely praised after the semi-final triumph, with President Bola Tinubu commending the team’s discipline and Wakama’s visionary coaching.

Sunday’s final will be far from a walk in the park. Mali have looked solid throughout the tournament and reached the final by comfortably dispatching South Sudan 76–50. They boast power in the paint and have players like Sika Koné and Djeneba N’Diaye who can swing momentum. But Nigeria have the edge in experience and firepower. With the likes of Kalu, Macaulay, and Okonkwo firing on all cylinders and the team showing great late-game strength, the D’Tigress have what it takes to silence Mali once again—just as they did in the 2021 final.

But as with all finals, anything can happen. For Nigeria, the mission is clear: no complacency, no second chances. They must come out firing from tip-off, dominate the boards, and bring the energy and focus that has made them continental champions for nearly a decade. If they bring their A-game, the D’Tigress will not only write their names in gold but confirm their dynasty as the greatest in African women’s basketball. The stage is set. History awaits.