Nigeria have become the first team to win four FIBA Women’s AfroBasket titles in a row over the last four decades, thanks to an 84-74 win over Senegal on Saturday in Kigali, Rwanda.
Prior to the win by Nigeria on Saturday, Senegal was the last team to win four African titles in the 1970s.
The D’Tigresses’ sixth continental title comes exactly 20 years after they conquered their very first African crown in 2003 in Maputo, Mozambique.
After trailing by double digits, Senegal closed the gap to five points (69-64) in the fourth quarter, but that was the closest the Lionesses could get to threaten Nigeria as the now four-time African champions regained control of the game, and closed it out superbly to remember everyone who rules women’s basketball in Africa.
Also making this list are Ifunaya Okoro, who led Nigeria in scoring with 16 points, while Munjanatu Musa hit a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds to contribute to the D’Tigresses’ victory.
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And out-rebounding Senegal 44-31, with 28 at the defensive end, seems to have been the right formula to keep the Teranga Lionesses at bay.
Besides winning their fourth African title in a row, Nigeria closed this year’s Women’s campaign unbeaten (5-0), which saw D’Tigresses extend their continental winning streak to 24-0, dating back to the 2015 Women’s AfroBasket Third-Place game in Yaounde.
Nigeria’s apparelled success has seen Rena Wakama become the first female head coach to win a Women’s AfroBasket title.
While some at first were doubtful about the D’Tigresses ability to protect their African title, they proved them wrong. And they did it with style.
Nigeria’s head coach, Rena Wakama, said of the victory: “Against Mozambique, we were down by 10 or 12 points. I looked into their eyes, and they told me: ‘Coach, we’re not going to lose this game.’
“And they came back to win.
“That was the defining moment for me.
“It has been a long year for me.
“I asked God for a sign, and this trophy was the biggest of them all.”
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