Abidjan, July 20, 2025 – Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, delivered a commanding performance to overpower Rwanda in a high-stakes clash at the ongoing AfroBasket tournament, reinforcing their reputation as the dominant force in African women’s basketball. Despite moments of brilliance from Rwanda’s Bella Murekatete—who recorded a strong stat line of 7 points, 7 rebounds, and a highlight-reel block on Nigeria’s Amy Okonkwo in the third quarter—Rwanda could not keep pace with the reigning champions. Nigeria’s physicality, cohesion, and depth proved too much for the East African side. The trio of Ifunanya Balogun, Murjanatu Musa, and Victoria Macaulay led the offensive onslaught with a combined 43 points. D’Tigress’ bench also made a significant impact, outscoring Rwanda’s reserves 37–13. The West Africans made the most of Rwanda’s mistakes, converting 25 turnovers into 25 points—an area where Nigeria’s high-pressure defense clearly made the difference. Rwanda’s offense was led by Destiney Philoxy and Keisha Hampton, who scored 11 and 10 points respectively. However, their efforts fell short of the form that had impressed fans during the 2026 Women’s Basketball World Cup Pre-Qualifiers held in Kigali earlier this year. Saturday’s encounter also stirred memories of the 2023 AfroBasket semifinal in Kigali, where Nigeria ended host Rwanda’s fairy-tale run with a crushing 79–48 win en route to capturing their fourth consecutive continental title. With their latest performance in Abidjan, D’Tigress have made it clear they are firmly focused on a record-extending fifth straight AfroBasket crown. As the tournament progresses, Nigeria’s form, discipline, and bench strength remain key talking points, and few would doubt their status as the team to beat.
D’Tigress Overpower Rwanda in Dominant Display at AfroBasket
