Mali lost 70-59 to Nigeria in the final of the 2021 edition held in Yaounde, Cameroon.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Mali will attempt to prevent Nigeria’s D’Tigress from winning five consecutive titles when the two teams battle for the ultimate prize in the final of the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday.
D’Tigress edged out Senegal 75-68 in a thrilling semi-final on Saturday to book a spot in the final.
It took a performance in the final quarter of the encounter for the defending champions to claim victory.
With the win, Rena Wakama’s side are now on an 28-game winning streak at the Women’s AfroBasket.
ALSO READ: Senegal coach, Otis Hughley blames AfroBasket semi-final loss to D’Tigress on inexperience
Mali, on the other hand, overcame the tournament’s revelation, South Sudan 76-50 to earn a spot in the final.
Unlike in the group phase, when both teams played evenly and the debutant came close to pulling off the first upset of the tournament, Mali made their ambitions clear right from the start and dominated the game till the end
However, the Oumarou Sidiya-coached side have struggled to replicate their dominance in the Women’s U16 and U18 AfroBaskets, and Sunday will be an acid test for the star-studded squad
They last lifted the trophy in 2007 when they defeated Senegal in the final.
Mali lost 70-59 to Nigeria in the final of the 2021 edition held in Yaounde, Cameroon.
