Nigeria’s D’Tigress claimed their fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s AfroBasket title in Abidjan on Sunday, dominating headlines with their commanding performance.
The closing ceremony, however, also celebrated the exceptional individual talent that illuminated the tournament, with standout players across Africa earning well-deserved recognition for their skill, leadership, and impact over the two-week competition.
At the forefront was Nigeria’s Amy Okonkwo, who was crowned Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive tournament.
The versatile forward powered Nigeria’s title run with a blend of strength and precision, culminating in a stellar 19-point, nine-rebound, three-assist performance in the 78–64 final victory over Mali, securing D’Tigress’ seventh AfroBasket championship.
Interestingly, no official award was presented for Best Coach, despite widespread praise for Rena Wakama, who masterminded Nigeria’s title defence and continued to cement her legacy as one of Africa’s finest coaching minds.
Her leadership has now guided the D’Tigress to back-to-back AfroBasket titles, making her the first coach in tournament history to do so in her first two appearances.
The award ceremony not only celebrated the victors but also highlighted the growing depth, talent, and competitiveness of women’s basketball across the continent.
As the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket comes to a close, the spotlight now shifts to how these standout athletes and nations build on this momentum heading into Olympic and global qualification campaigns.
Summary of award winners at AfroBasket 2025:
Most Valuable Player (MVP): Amy Okonkwo (Nigeria)
All-Tournament Team (All-Star Five):
1. Amy Okonkwo (Nigeria)
2. Cierra Dillard (Senegal)
3. Delicia Washington (South Sudan)
4. Jane Asinde (Uganda)
5. Sika Koné (Mali)
Top Scorer: Delicia Washington (South Sudan)
Best Three-Point Shooter: Jessica Thomas (Cameroon)
Best Rebounder: Maria Teresa Gakdeng (South Sudan)
Nigeria’s latest triumph now brings them to seven AfroBasket titles, edging closer to Senegal’s all-time record of eleven. With a new generation of stars and a winning mentality firmly in place, the future remains bright for the Queens of African basketball.
The PUNCH
