Nigeria’s D’Tigress continued their strong showing at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship with a hard-fought 60-55 victory over Mozambique.
The win sealed D’Tigress’ place in the quarter-finals on Monday at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan.
It wasn’t a walk in the park for the six-time African champions, who stumbled out of the gate and trailed 13-9 after the first quarter.
But under the steady leadership of coach Rena Wakama, the Nigerian ladies clawed their way back into the contest, drawing level 15-15 in the second quarter before asserting dominance in the second half.
With back-to-back scores of 18-15 in the third quarter and 18-12 in the fourth, D’Tigress found their rhythm and closed out the game with poise.
Ezinne Kalu led the charge with 16 points, three rebounds, and four assists in a commanding performance, while Promise Amukamara contributed 13 points and six rebounds.
Murjanatu Musa stood tall in the paint, delivering a crucial double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds. Amy Okonkwo and Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah chipped in with eight and six points, respectively.
Nigeria, which attempted 60 field goals and made 20, showed more aggression on the boards, pulling down 42 rebounds and adding 15 steals and 10 blocks to their defensive resume.
Despite putting up 62 shots, Mozambique could only match Nigeria’s 20 makes and struggled with 18 turnovers.
Ingvild Mucauro was the standout for the Southern Africans, posting 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and three steals. But her efforts, along with seven points each from Leia Dongue and Silvia Veloso, were not enough to prevent Mozambique from sliding into the playoff route.
D’Tigress’ win cements their place in the last-eight, maintaining their quest for a record-extending seventh African title, while Mozambique will now battle through the playoffs in hopes of joining them in the quarter-finals.
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