Nigeria’s D’Tigress began their FIBA Women’s AfroBasket 2025 campaign emphatically, dismantling Rwanda 92–45 in their opening Group D match at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
From the first whistle, the defending champions stamped their authority. They dictated the pace and shut down Rwanda’s offense early, ending the first quarter with a 17–8 lead.
By halftime, Nigeria had widened the gap to 45–25, thanks to a 28-point second quarter. Rwanda struggled to respond, and the third quarter saw D’Tigress press harder, outscoring them 26–12. The final quarter sealed the rout with a 21–8 finish.
Elizabeth Balogun, who plays for Charnay Basket in France, led the scoring with 18 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. She opened the game with a composed mid-range jumper and never looked back.
Victoria Macaulay, returning to the squad after a strong season in Turkey, added 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists. Murjanatu Musa contributed 12 points and 5 rebounds, while Ifunanya Okoro impressed with 11 points and 5 assists, shooting a perfect 4-of-4 from the field.
“We expected a tough match against Rwanda as they are a good side,” Musa said after the game. “I don’t know what happened to them, but it was a good first win for us. It gives us the energy to keep working for those victories.”
Coach Wakama’s New Squad Delivers
Head coach Rena Wakama, fresh off her historic Olympic quarterfinal run, praised the team’s defensive intensity and chemistry. She noted that this was the first time the current squad played together competitively.
“It’s a good win for us today,” Wakama said. “We want to be the standard. This is our mindset as a group.”
She added, “The 2023 team that won the AfroBasket is different from this team. I’m still figuring out rotations, and the players are still learning each other on the court.”
D’Tigress, six-time champions and winners of the last four editions, now extend their unbeaten AfroBasket streak to 25 games—a run that began in October 2015. Their bench outscored Rwanda’s 37–13, and they capitalised on 25 points off turnovers.
Next, Nigeria will face Mozambique on Monday, July 28. The Southern Africans are no pushovers—they nearly upset Nigeria in the 2023 quarterfinals, losing narrowly 59–52.
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