Nigeria’s D’Tigress are bracing for a decisive quarterfinal battle against Cameroon tonight (July 31) at the 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket, and the message from the team is that there is no room for complacency.
Having extended their astonishing winning streak to 26 games, dating back to 2015, Nigeria’s national women’s basketball team is chasing a historic fifth consecutive Afrobasket title, and they’re just three wins away from doing it again, but standing in their way is a familiar foe: Cameroon.
D’Tigress Coach Rena Wakama: “We Will Give Our All”
Head coach Rena Wakama, who made history in 2023 as the first female head coach to win the Afrobasket, is confident but grounded.
“We’re going to give our all. Any team that I coach ultimately gives all they can,” Wakama said during her pre-match briefing.
“We give our all and we win? Great. We give our all and we lose? Great. Maybe it was not our day. But for me and my team, we will give our all in every game.”
She reveals that she leads a determined squad focused not just on results, but on effort, pride, and representing Nigeria to the fullest.
D’Tigress Players – “Nigeria Basketball Will Wake Up”
Veteran point guard and 2019 MVP Ezinne Kalu didn’t mince words when assessing the team’s form so far in the tournament.
Despite back-to-back wins in the group stage, including a hard-fought 60–55 victory over Mozambique, Kalu admitted D’Tigress haven’t hit their best yet.
“You should start to start seeing Nigeria wake up. I mean, we haven’t been playing Nigeria basketball. We could definitely do a lot better,” she said.
Power forward, Nicole Enabosi also echoed the need to focus that D’Tigress are on a mission to defend their title with pride by respecting all but fearing no one.
Match Details:
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Fixture: Nigeria vs Cameroon
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Competition: 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket – Quarterfinal
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Date: July 31, 2025
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Venue: Palais des Sports de Treichville, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
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Time: 21:00 WAT
Legacy on the Line
Nigeria have dominated the Afrobasket in recent years, winning titles in 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023. With a win tonight, they move a step closer to etching their name into history with a fifth straight crown.
