Nigeria began their quest for a fifth straight Women’s Afrobasket title in emphatic fashion, overwhelming Rwanda 92–45 in Abidjan to extend their unbeaten run in the competition to 25 games.
At the helm, head coach Rena Wakama oversaw a performance marked by depth, balance, and intensity, with five Nigerian players reaching double digits in scoring and 37 points contributed from the bench.
Rwanda opened the scoring, but Nigeria quickly imposed themselves, establishing a 17–8 lead by the end of the first quarter.
The second period saw both sides trade baskets more evenly, yet D’Tigress maintained a commanding 45–25 advantage heading into the break.
The defending champions pulled away further in the third quarter, registering 26 points to Rwanda’s 12, and closed out the game with another dominant stretch, outscoring their opponents 21–8 in the final 10 minutes.
Victoria Macaulay was instrumental in both ends of the court, finishing with 13 points, 5 assists, and 3 rebounds. Elizabeth Balogun led all scorers with 18 points, all of which came from within the paint.
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Murjanatu Musa (12), Ifunaya Okoro (11), and Amy Okonkwo (10) also contributed significantly to the scoreboard.
Nigeria’s physicality and defensive pressure proved too much for Rwanda, who committed several turnovers that translated into 25 points for the Nigerians. From beyond the arc, Rwanda converted just 3 of 21 attempts, while D’Tigress fared slightly better with 4 of 15.
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For Rwanda, Destiney Promise Philoxy was the standout performer with 11 points and solid all-round involvement. Keisha Hampton added 10 points, but the team lacked consistency on both ends of the floor.
In the rebounding battle, Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah and Bella Murekatete each secured 9 boards.
