The D’Tigress, the national women’s senior basketball team, narrowly avoided an upset as they fought back to edge resilient Mozambique 60-55 in a thrilling 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket clash at the Palais de Treichville in Abidjan yesterday.
With this hard-fought win, Nigeria secured a place in the quarterfinals, joining Uganda, who also advanced from Group C with two wins in as many games.
Mozambique started strong, outscoring the D’Tigress 13-9 in the opening quarter. The second quarter was evenly contested at 15-15, leaving the Southern Africans with a narrow 28-24 lead at halftime.
Mozambique came out firing in the third quarter, opening with a 7-0 run to extend their advantage. However, Nigeria soon found their groove and responded by outscoring Mozambique 18-15 in the period, cutting the deficit to just one point heading into the final quarter.
Nigeria kicked off the fourth quarter with a 6-0 burst, setting the tone for the closing moments. Despite Mozambique’s continued fight, the D’Tigress held their nerve, outscoring their opponents 18-12 in the final stretch to clinch a tough five-point victory.
Veteran guard Ezinne Kalu led Nigeria with a game-high 16 points and added four assists. Promise Amukamara contributed 13 points and six rebounds, while Murjanatu Musa put in an impressive all-around performance, recording 12 points, a game-high 12 rebounds, five assists, and three steals, showcasing her impact on both ends of the court.
Reigning MVP Amy Okonkwo is yet to reach her best form this tournament but chipped in with eight points and two steals to help secure the win which keeps Nigeria on course as they aim for a historic fifth consecutive Afrobasket title.
“We are going to keep fighting to the top. We are going back to the top,” D’Tigress’ guard Ezinne Kalu declared after the energy-sapping match. “Keep supporting us; every game won’t be the same, but we promise to keep on fighting.”
Acknowledging the intensity of the competition, she emphasized the team’s strong mind-set : “We have a tough mentality. We know it is not going to be easy. You should expect Nigeria fighting more and harder.” Earlier in the day, Group C witnessed another surprise as Senegal suffered their second straight loss, narrowly falling 73-70 to Uganda.
