2025 Afrobasket: D’Tigress, Lionesses rekindle old rivalry for semifinal spot

It will be a familiar rivalry on Thursday under the lights at the Palais de Sports Treichville in Abidjan when defending champions Nigeria’s D’Tigress take on the Lionesses of Cameroon in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Women’s Afrobasket.

The D’Tigress waited late on Wednesday night to find out who their opponent would be in the last eight after the Cameroonians defeated Angola convincingly, 85-64, to further confirm the struggling state of Angolan women’s basketball.

The Nigerian girls are heading into today’s game well-rested and refreshed after two days without a game, enjoying the advantage of finishing first in their group.

Coach Rene Wakama’s team has been boosted with the availability of experienced shooting guard Sarah Ogoke, who missed the team’s previous two games in the tournament.

The veteran player will be hoping to bring her wealth of experience to bear for the team, having been a key member of the last four Afrobasket title-winning teams.

Coach Rene Wakama has charged her team to raise their game and expressed confidence that the team is beginning to get its rhythm back.

“This is the business end of the tournament, and as a team, we know what is at stake, and we are following through on our set goals with each game.

“Afrobasket is getting tougher, and it shows the improving standard of the women’s game on the continent, and today’s game against Cameroon will be no different,” Wakama said.

Today will be action-packed at the Palais de Sports Treichville as all four quarter-final matches will be decided.

Uganda will take on surprise debutants South Sudan, who eliminated Egypt in the playoff round in the first game, before Mali plays Mozambique, and host Ivory Coast squares off against Senegal in another eye-catching clash. Nigeria will play Cameroon in the last game by 10 pm Nigerian time.

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