Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, sealed a 60-55 victory over Mozambique in their final Group D game of the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Monday.
The win secured D’Tigress a direct ticket to the quarter-finals as Group D winners, having won both group matches.
Read Also: FIBA Women’s AfroBasket 2025: D’Tigress crush Rwanda 92–45 in thrilling opener
After a challenging first half, the reigning champions showed their quality and composure to stretch their unbeaten run at the tournament to 26 games, dating back to 2015.
Star guard Ezinne Kalu, the 2019 MVP, was instrumental once again, leading all scorers with 16 points and five steals, helping Nigeria avoid a potential upset.
“Big players step up in big moments,” Kalu said after the game, reflecting on her performance in the clutch.
Forward Amy Okonkwo credited Mozambique for their spirited fight. “Mozambique is a really good team. They’re well-coached and played beautifully together. At first, they were playing harder than us, but we found our rhythm and made key defensive stops. That made the difference.”
Despite the loss, Mozambique forward Leia Dongue praised her team’s effort: “I have to congratulate my teammates. Nigeria is the reigning champion and favourite in this tournament. They battled hard, and I’m really proud of them.”
D’Tigress will now prepare for the quarter-finals as they continue their quest for a fourth consecutive Women’s AfroBasket title.
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