Nigeria’s D’Tigress stormed into their fifth straight AfroBasket Women’s Championship final with a dramatic 75-68 comeback victory over arch-rivals Senegal on Saturday night at the Palais des Sports de Treichville, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The semifinal encounter lived up to its billing, delivering end-to-end action, momentum swings, and intense tactical battles.
Nigeria started strong, taking the first quarter 22-17 and edging the second 21-20 to lead 43-37 at halftime. But Senegal roared back in the third quarter, outscoring Nigeria 21-9 to head into the final frame with a 58-52 lead.
However, D’Tigress were not done. With poise and precision, they dominated the final quarter 23-10, silencing the Senegalese Lionesses and sealing a memorable win.
The closing minutes were tense, with both coaches burning timeouts and rotating key players in a chess-like tactical showdown. Nigeria’s head coach Rena Wakama—known for her tactical calm and fashionable sideline presence—outmaneuvered Senegal’s Otis Hughley Jr. to guide her side to victory.
Senegal’s Cierra Dillard was the most efficient player on the night, posting a game-high 26 points.
Nigeria’s Amy Okonkwo followed closely behind with an impactful performance, while Ezinne Kalu added 19 points. On the boards, Nigeria’s Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah and Senegal’s Dillard shared the top rebounding honors with seven apiece.
Nigeria vs Senegal – A Storied Rivalry
This latest victory brings Nigeria’s head-to-head record against Senegal to 10 wins in 15 encounters. Their fierce rivalry dates back to:
2003 (Dec 19) – Nigeria won 62-55
2005 (Dec 22) – Senegal won 65-55
2005 (Dec 28) – Nigeria claimed the AfroBasket Final 64-57
2006 (Sept 17) – Senegal won 66-61 (World Qualifier)
2009 (Oct 16) – Senegal inflicted Nigeria’s heaviest loss, 89-45
2010 (Sept 23) – Senegal won 86-62
2011 (Oct 1) – Senegal won again 89-63 in the semis
2015 (Sept 28) – Nigeria triumphed 75-64 in group stage
2017 (Aug 23) – Nigeria edged Senegal 58-54 (group stage)
2017 (Aug 27) – Nigeria beat Senegal 65-48 in the final
2019 (Aug 18) – Nigeria won another final 60-55
2021 (Sept 24) – Nigeria won 73-63 (semifinal)
2023 (Aug 6) – Nigeria defeated Senegal 84-74 in the final
2024 (Feb 8) – Nigeria beat Senegal 72-65 (Olympic qualifiers)
Road to the Semifinal
Quarterfinal Results:
Nigeria 83–47 Cameroon
Senegal 66–60 Côte d’Ivoire
Mali 86–68 Mozambique
South Sudan 69–68 Uganda
What’s Next ??
Second Semifinal: Mali vs South Sudan – Saturday, 10:00 PM
Third-Place Match: Senegal vs Loser of Mali/South Sudan – Sunday, 3:30 PM
Final: Nigeria vs Winner of Mali/South Sudan – Sunday, 7:00 PM
All four semifinalists—Nigeria, Senegal, Mali, and South Sudan—have booked their places at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, Germany, scheduled from 4–13 September 2026.
They join other qualified teams:
Americas: USA, Brazil, Canada, Puerto Rico, Colombia
Asia/Oceania: China, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand
Europe: Germany (host), France, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Belgium, Czech Republic, Hungary
AfroBasket Women: D’Tigress Roar Into Fifth Consecutive Final After Comeback Win Over Senegal
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