D’tigress of Nigeria center, Victoria Macaulay says her side “fought so hard” to overcome Senegal and reach the final of the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket, describing the victory as a triumph built on defence and belief.
D’Tigress secured a 75–68 win over Senegal in Abidjan on Saturday to book a place in Sunday’s final against Mali, extending their remarkable unbeaten streak in African competition to 28 games a run that stretches back to 2015.
Nigeria started brightly, taking a 22–17 lead after the opening quarter and maintaining a six-point advantage at the break.
D’tigress. Photo Credit: NBBF
“We fought so hard to get this victory tonight,” the D’Tigress forward said.
“We knew we had it in us. It’s all about defense. And we came out and we defended and we won the game. Now we’re ready for the finals and we’re ready to win that.”
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However, Senegal rallied in the third quarter, outscoring the defending champions 21–9 to turn the game on its head.
Victoria Macaulay.Photo Credit: X
Faced with a six-point deficit heading into the final period, Nigeria responded with a dominant display in the fourth quarter to swing momentum back in their favour.
The reigning champions outscored Senegal 23–10 in the closing ten minutes to seal their sixth consecutive appearance in the AfroBasket final.
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Macaulay, 34, finished with 13 points, four rebounds and three assists, playing a key role in the turnaround.
Key Performers for Nigeria:
Ezinne Kalu – 19 points
Promise Amukamara – 16 points
Amy Okonkwo – 15 points
Victoria Macaulay – 13 points
The victory not only puts Nigeria on the brink of a record-extending fifth consecutive title, but also confirms their qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournaments, alongside fellow semi-finalists Senegal, Mali and South Sudan.
Rena Wakama. Photo Credit: D’tigress
D’Tigress, coached by Rena Wakama, will face Mali in the championship game on Sunday, aiming to cap off yet another flawless campaign on the continent.
