Nigeria’s Senior Women’s National Basketball Team D’Tigress has successfully defended the FIBA Women’s African Basketball Championship (AfroBasket).
The continental giant silenced a vociferous home crowd to beat Senegal 60-55 in the just ended 2019 edition held at the Dakar Arena in Senegal.
The win was Nigeria’s fifth in the competition and ensured the team ended with a flawless run to consolidate its position as the best on continent.
Starters Evelyn Akhator, Ezinne Kalu and Promise Amukamara scored 14, 13 and 12 points respectively in the game while Senegal had Astou Traore and Mame Sy-Diop score 13 and 12 points apiece.
Akhator, Kalu and Traore were named in the TOP Five for the tournament with Kalu winning the Most Valuable Player Award.
The win comes on the heels of Nigeria’s remarkable run to the quarterfinals in last year’s World Cup in Spain. Nigeria is the first African nation to reach the stage.
Mozambique lost 54-66 to Mali in the bronze medal game with Angola placing fifth ahead of DR Congo.
By Yaw Adjei-Mintah
@YawMintYM on Twitter
