D’Tigress Clinch Fifth Straight Women’s AfroBasket Title with Victory over Mali

Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, secured their place in history on Sunday by winning the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship in Côte d’Ivoire. They triumphed over Mali with a commanding 78-64 victory in the final.

This marks Nigeria’s fifth consecutive AfroBasket title, making them the first nation ever to achieve such a feat. The win also extended their unbeaten run in the competition to an impressive 29 games — a streak that began after their third-place finish at the 2015 tournament in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Much like in their earlier games, D’Tigress had a sluggish start and struggled to find rhythm early on. Mali capitalized on this, pushing the Nigerian side to their limits. However, by the end of the second quarter, Nigeria rallied to level the score at 41-41.

Head coach Rena Wakama’s squad returned for the second half with renewed determination. They dominated the third quarter, turning defense into offense and exploiting Mali’s turnovers to take a 61-56 lead.

Despite a spirited fightback from Mali in the final quarter, D’Tigress kept their cool and responded to every challenge with poise. Their composure and tactical discipline proved decisive as they pulled away to seal the 14-point win.

With this victory, Nigeria not only retains the continental crown but also cements their dominance as the most successful team in Women’s AfroBasket history in terms of consecutive championships.