D’Tigress Land in Abidjan for 2025 Afrobasket Cup Defence

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Six-time women’s Afrobasket champions, Nigeria’s D’Tigress, landed in Abidjan, ahead of their cup defence scheduled to begin on July 26 through August 3 in the Ivorian commercial capital city.

D’Tigress are to battle Mozambique and Rwanda in Group D of the 2025 FIBA Africa Afrobasket Championship. The Nigerian ladies apart from coming here as the reigning champions, have held on to the trophy since 2017 as undisputed queens of basketball in the continent.

Their victory in Kigali two years ago was the fourth-straight win (4-peat) as they go for the fifth-straight (5-peat) win of the African cup.

In overall they have won the Afrobasket six times starting with the first title in 2003 in Mozambique and the successful defence of it in 2005 in Abuja.

In the 12-player roster released by Coach Rena Wakama shortly before the team departed Abuja for Abidjan yesterday, Sarah Ogoke who was away for family reasons, has returned to take her place. The team is basically the same squad that wowed the global audience, defeating Australia and Canada to

reach the quarter finals at the last Paris 2024 Olympic Games in the French capital.

The 12 players for the tournament include; Captain Amy Okonkwo, Promise Amukamara, Sarah Ogoke, and Ezinne Kalu.

Others are; Murjanatu Musa, Victoria Macaulay, Elizabeth Balogun, Blessing Ejiofor, Ifunaya Okoro, Vera Ojenuwa, Nicole Enabosi, and Palla Kunayi.

Speaking before the team departed their Double D Apartment camp in Abuja for Ivory Coast, NBBF President, Engr Ahmadu Musa Kida, urged the team to go out there and show the stuff they are made of and try to bring home the trophy for an unprecedented fifth straight time which will break the African record they currently hold.

Kida assured them that their teeming supporters, across the country are praying fervently for their success and so they must be Nigeria’s good ambassadors as usual.

Team Captain, Amy Okonkwo, thanked Engr Kida and the NBBF Board for their relentless and untiring support for the team and basketball over the past years.

She also expressed immense joy over the way that the team was received and treated throughout their camping in Abuja.

THE FINAL ROSTER FOR THE AFROBASKET

Promise Amukamara

Ezinne Kalu

Elizabeth Balogun

Amy Okonkwo

Nicole Enabosi

Pallas Kumayi

Victoria Macaulay

Vera Ojenuwa

Blessing Ejiofor

Ifunaya Okoro