Champions D’Tigress outclassed hosts Rwanda 79-48 in the semi-finals of the ongoing 2023 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket in Kigali, Rwanda to book a place in the final.
The win on Thursday means D’Tigress have now extended their unbeaten run to 23 games and are on the verge of winning a fourth consecutive AfroBasket title.
The last time Nigeria lost a game in the Women’s Afrobasket was in 2015 against Cameroon in the semi-finals.
New head coach, Rena Wakama, maintained the starting five that managed to beat Mozambique 59-52 in the quarter-finals to set up a last-four showdown with the hosts — whom they had defeated in their previous two meetings 2009 and 2011 — on Thursday.
Amy Okonkwo, Palla Kunaiyi-Akpanah, Elizabeth Balogun, Sarah Ogoke and Blessing Ejiofor were ruthless from the tip-off, but the hosts scored the first points before Okonkwo put Nigeria in front.
D’Tigress blew through the Rwandans and established a 22-6 lead in the first quarter.
The Nigerians increased their dominance in the second quarter and were ahead 44-18 at halftime.
It was a bright start for the Rwandans in the third quarter, as they outscored D’Tigress to get themselves back into the game, as the quarter ended 58-35.
In the final quarter, Nigeria restored control and secured an outstanding 31-point victory to progress to the competition’s final.
Okonkwo led the Nigerians with 23 points, followed by Oluwayemisi Taiwo, who netted 12 points.
Nigeria now awaits the winners of the other semi-final game between Mali and Senegal on Friday (today) as they hope to win the championship for the fourth time in a row on Saturday, a feat that only the Senegalese boast of in African basketball.
