{"id":116086,"date":"2025-08-03T09:07:06","date_gmt":"2025-08-03T13:07:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/africatodaynewsnewyork.com\/?p=116086"},"modified":"2025-08-03T09:07:06","modified_gmt":"2025-08-03T13:07:06","slug":"tinubu-hails-dtigress-for-reaching-fifth-afrobasket-final","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/africatodaynewsnewyork.com\/2025\/08\/03\/tinubu-hails-dtigress-for-reaching-fifth-afrobasket-final\/","title":{"rendered":"Tinubu Hails D\u2019Tigress For Reaching Fifth AfroBasket Final"},"content":{"rendered":"

President Bola Tinubu<\/a> has congratulated Nigeria\u2019s national women\u2019s basketball team, D\u2019Tigress, on securing a place in the final of the 2025 FIBA Women\u2019s AfroBasket \u2014 their fifth consecutive appearance in the tournament\u2019s title match.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President lauded the team\u2019s grit and consistency, describing their narrow 75\u201368 victory over archrivals Senegal as a testament to their resilience and championship spirit. The semi-final clash unfolded at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan, C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was more than a semi-final; it was the final before the final,\u201d the President said, praising the team for not only defeating Senegal for the seventh consecutive time but also securing a place in the 2026 FIBA Women\u2019s Basketball World Cup qualifiers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have observed the discipline, focus, and team spirit consistently displayed by D\u2019Tigress throughout this tournament\u2014qualities that have brought honour to our nation and earned respect for our players and coaches worldwide,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

President Tinubu paid special tribute to Rena Wakama, the team\u2019s head coach and the first woman to lead the side, applauding her inspiring leadership both as a former player and now as a tactician.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer leadership continues to inspire D\u2019Tigress to new heights in this highly competitive sport,\u201d the President stated.<\/p>\n

President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his unwavering support for Nigeria\u2019s women\u2019s basketball team, D\u2019Tigress, as they edge closer to a historic fifth consecutive AfroBasket crown and broader international success.<\/p>\n

\n

Read also: Paris Olympics: Ex-WNBA Star Liz Cambage To Join Nigeria<\/a><\/h1>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In a high-stakes semi-final showdown on Saturday, the reigning champions showcased resilience and tactical maturity, rallying from a significant fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Senegal 75\u201368 in a tightly contested fixture.<\/p>\n

Trailing by eight points at the start of the final quarter, D\u2019Tigress found themselves under immense pressure. Senegal\u2019s Cierra Dillard led the charge for her side with a commanding performance \u2014 tallying 26 points, seven rebounds, and three assists \u2014 and driving her team\u2019s dominance through the third quarter.<\/p>\n

But the Nigerians dug deep.<\/p>\n

Ezinne Kalu ignited the comeback with a critical steal and finish, cutting into Senegal\u2019s lead. Victory Macaulay followed with a decisive hook shot to swing momentum Nigeria\u2019s way, putting the team ahead 69\u201366. From there, D\u2019Tigress tightened their grip, closing out the game with a 10\u20133 run in the final three minutes to seal a dramatic victory.<\/p>\n

Saturday\u2019s win extends Nigeria\u2019s AfroBasket unbeaten streak to an astonishing 28 matches<\/strong>, a run that dates back to 2015. With the final now in sight, they await the outcome of the second semi-final between South Sudan and Mali, as they pursue a record-breaking fifth consecutive \u2014 and seventh overall \u2014 African title.<\/p>\n

Africa Today News, New York<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Nigeria\u2019s national women\u2019s basketball team, D\u2019Tigress, on securing a place in the final of the 2025 FIBA Women\u2019s AfroBasket \u2014 their fifth consecutive appearance in the tournament\u2019s title match. In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President lauded the team\u2019s grit and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":116087,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6928],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-116086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature","pmpro-has-access"],"yoast_head":"\nTinubu Hails D\u2019Tigress For Reaching Fifth AfroBasket Final<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Nigeria\u2019s national women\u2019s basketball team, D\u2019Tigress, on securing a place in the final of t\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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