Nigeria’s D’Tigress are ready for their semifinal showdown against Senegal on Saturday (today) at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket after cruising past Cameroon 83-47 on Thursday night to book their place in the last four.
Head coach Rena Wakama described Saturday’s clash against Senegal as one that will be both emotional and physical, but insisted Nigeria would not be distracted from their mission to retain the AfroBasket title.
The Nigerian women extended their unbeaten run at the competition to 27 games with the commanding victory over Cameroon at the Palais Des Sports de Treichville, a streak that reflects their dominance on the continent.
D’Tigress will face their former coach, Otis Hughley, now leading Senegal’s charge, in a reunion that adds emotional weight to a fixture already packed with high stakes.
‘On Saturday, it’s going to be a great game, and it will definitely be emotional for some, and that is basketball. But we know our mission here, and we will not allow anything to change that’, Wakama said after the victory over Cameroon.
‘As I said, it is going to be an emotional game and very physical as well’.
Senegal secured their semifinal ticket with a hard-fought 66-60 win over hosts Ivory Coast, setting the stage for a fierce West African showdown.
With the victory over Cameroon, Nigeria not only sealed a semifinal berth but also secured the fourth and final African slot for the 2026 Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournaments.
Forward Murjanatu Musa credited teamwork and determination for the squad’s progress, expressing confidence ahead of the Senegal encounter.
‘We played as a team, enjoying the game by doing what we do best, and this is the result. We feel great about making it to the semifinals again. We’ll try our best to make it to the finals’, Musa said.
‘We know them and they know us. We just have to do our thing and see what happens in the end’.
Guard Ezinne Kalu echoed similar sentiments whilst anticipating a high-stakes battle against Senegal, emphasising the team’s fighting spirit.
‘We just needed to stick together and play Nigerian basketball. This is the definition of Nigerian basketball: fighting, throwing the first punch, setting the tone, and bringing the energy to win over our supporters and fans’, Kalu said.
‘We are super excited to move to the semifinals! It’s going to be a great game. Senegal is a great team, and I’m looking forward to playing them’.
The six-time continental champions are now on the verge of history, aiming to become the first team to capture five consecutive AfroBasket titles, a feat that even rivals Senegal, who share the current record of four straight titles, have not surpassed.
The winner of the Nigeria-Senegal encounter will book a place in the final against either Mali or South Sudan, who face off in the other semifinal.
