AfroBasket: Nigeria defeats Senegal to win 4th straight title

Nigeria are champions of African Women’s Basketball (AfroBasket) for the fourth time on the bounce, following a victory over Senegal on Saturday, August 6.

D’Tigress beat Senegal 84-74, in the final played at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda.

The AfroBasket final was a remake of the 2019 final at the Dakar Arena and Nigeria showed they are the best in Africa with the win over Senegal.

D’Tigress got a double-figure lead in the game’s opening ten minutes and never looked back as their lead hovered above 8 points until the third quarter, when Senegal cut the lead to just 3 points, and later on 2 on Cierra Dillard’s tough 3-pointer.

Nigeria maintained its grip on the lead and went into the fourth quarter leading by 62-57.

Nigeria took the lead back to double figures in the opening four minutes of the fourth quarter but Senegal was never out of the contest with Yacine Diop (16 points) and Fatou Pouye (11 points) keeping the side in the game.

Elizabeth Balogun (15 points) hit a dagger 3 with under 3 minutes for a 75-67 lead forcing Senegal into a time out and on return, Murjanatu Musa (10 points) hit a couple of throws to extend the lead to 77-68 and Okoro took it to double figures to break Senegal’s resistance.

Tournament MVP Amy Okonkwo finished with 14 points and 8 rebounds, Ifunaya Okoro scored 16 and Sarah Ogoke contributed 13.

Dillard finished with a game-high 19 points and 10 assists in a losing effort. Oumoul Khairy Sarr Coulibaly also scored in double figures for Senegal.

Asides from their win over Senegal, D’tigress records in the competition are 69-35 against Congo, 83-65 against Egypt, 59-52 against Mozambique, and 79-48 against the host country, Rwanda.

Following the victorious outing of D’Tigress, Coach Rena Wakama has taken her place in history as the first female coach to win the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket.

President Bola Tinubu has already congratulated D’Tigress for winning the FIBA Afrobasket tournament in Rwanda on Saturday.