2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket: Unbeaten D’Tigress look to extend dominance over Cameroon
Nigeria’s D’Tigress are set to face Cameroon in a high-stakes quarterfinal clash at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The game tips off at 10:00 PM Nigerian time at the Palais des Sports de Treichville, and it promises to be a fiery showdown between two unbeaten teams.
D’Tigress enter the match riding a 26-game unbeaten streak in AfroBasket competition, a run that began after their last loss—ironically to Cameroon—in a nail-biting 71–70 defeat during the 2015 semifinals in Yaoundé.
Since then, Nigeria has won four consecutive AfroBasket titles (2017, 2019, 2021, 2023) and is now chasing an unprecedented fifth straight crown.
They’ve already dispatched Rwanda and Mozambique in the group stage, showing flashes of brilliance and grit. The return of veteran guard Sarah Ogoke, a four-time champion, adds leadership and depth to a squad that includes stars like Promise Amukamara, Amy Okonkwo, and Ezinne Kalu.
Cameroon booked their quarterfinal spot with a commanding 85–64 win over Angola, showcasing the firepower of their backcourt duo Jessica Thomas and Joelly Emmanuelle Claude Belleka, who average 16 and 15 points per game respectively.
The Lionesses are eager to end Nigeria’s reign and avenge recent losses, having fallen short in their last four meetings against D’Tigress.
Nigeria leads the head-to-head 5–2, with a chance to push it to 6–2 tonight.
A win for D’Tigress would extend their AfroBasket unbeaten run to 27–0.
Victory secures a semifinal berth and keeps alive their quest for a record fifth consecutive title.
Coach Rena Wakama, who made history in 2023 as the first woman to coach a team to the AfroBasket title, emphasized the importance of focus and execution: ‘This is the business end of the tournament. We know what’s at stake and we’re committed to our goals with every game.’
