It was a gripping showdown between two of Africa’s women’s basketball giants, but in the end, Nigeria’s D’Tigress proved just why they are the queens of the continent, edging out a resilient Mozambique side 60-55 in a high-intensity Group D clash at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket.
The defending champions extended their incredible unbeaten run in the competition to 26 consecutive games, but not without a serious scare from a Mozambique side that matched them basket for basket for most of the 40 minutes.
After the game, Mozambique’s head coach Nasir Sale spoke with pride and perspective, saluting his players for their performance and recognizing the small margins that decided the game.
“They Played Very Well” – Coach Sale Salutes Team Spirit
Despite the heartbreak of defeat, Coach Sale was magnanimous in his post-match remarks.
“It’s tough game because this Nigeria is a strong team. This is their 26 games not lost. The Nigeria have good players, they have the good experience and they have some technology to push the team.”
“We lost this from the game in the attack. But I want to start to congratulate my team because they played very well.”
He stated that the game slipped away due to minute offensive missteps:
“We lost the game, but there are some details in the game we must continue to improve for this championship. And we wait now for the cross for the another group.”
Tense Battle Until the Final Minutes
This wasn’t just another group stage fixture, it was a re-run of the 2023 AfroBasket thriller, where Nigeria also narrowly prevailed 59-52. Once again, the margin was razor-thin.
Mozambique took a 28-24 halftime lead and entered the fourth quarter up 43-42, threatening to break Nigeria’s impressive winning streak.
However, D’Tigress came alive in the final minutes. It started with a clutch three-pointer from Promise Amukamara, giving Nigeria a slender 45-42 lead.
Aggressive defense followed. Ezinne Kalu converted a layup and a free throw, forcing Mozambique on the back foot, but Mozambique weren’t done yet. Inglid Mucauro slashed through the lane to cut the score to 50-49 with 4:30 left on the clock.
That was as close as they would come.
Double Foul-Out Blow for Mozambique
At the worst possible time, Leia Dongue, Mozambique’s standout forward and scoring leader, picked up her fifth foul and exited the game. Less than 20 seconds later, Carla Covane, their powerful post presence, also fouled out.
From that moment on, Nigeria’s experience and depth told the story. They closed out the game professionally, locking up top spot in Group D with a perfect 2-0 record.
Leia Dongue: “Really Proud of My Team”
After the match, an emotional Leia Dongue spoke of her pride in the team’s effort, despite the disappointment of not pulling off the upset.
“I have to congratulate my teammates. Nigeria is the reigning champion and the favorite in this tournament. They battled it out and represented our country very well. I am really proud of my team.”
With the group stages concluded, Nigeria marches into the quarterfinals as Group D winners. Mozambique, who opened the tournament with a win, will now await the cross-over round matchups, needing one more win to reach the last eight.
If this performance is anything to go by, no one will be taking Nasir Sale’s squad lightly in the 2025 Afrobasket knockout rounds.
