African champions Nigeria D’Tigress have stormed into the semi-finals of the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket with a commanding 83-47 win over Cameroon on Thursday night in Abidjan.
The six-time and defending champions will face Senegal in the next stage of the competition.
Cameroon started strong in the quarter-final, opening with a 4-0 run, but Nigeria quickly answered, taking the lead at 7-4.
Coach Rena Wakama’s deep and well-prepared squad soon overwhelmed a fatigued Cameroonian team, which had played a grueling late-night qualification game against Angola just hours earlier.
By halftime, Nigeria had built a commanding 36-18 lead, powered by Amy Okonkwo’s dominant performance. The forward was unstoppable, scoring 15 points and grabbing 5 rebounds in the opening half alone.
Off the bench, Victoria Macaulay added energy and presence inside the paint, combining strong defense with efficient scoring.
By the end of the third quarter, the game had become a blowout, with the D’Tigress leading 66-31.
Okonkwo finished with 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist, while point guard Ezinne Kalu expertly directed the offense with 5 assists. Nicole Enabosi contributed 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. Macaulay added 12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. Elizabeth Balogun chipped in 11 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block.
This victory secures Nigeria’s place among the four semifinalists who have also qualified for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifying tournaments scheduled for March.
Joining Nigeria in the World Cup qualifiers are Mali, Senegal, and South Sudan, forming part of a 24-team field competing in four regional tournaments.
From the Americas, Brazil, Argentina, the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Colombia will represent their region in the global qualifiers.
