D’Tigress kicked off their 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket title defence in dominant fashion, dismantling Rwanda 92–45 in their Group B opener at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan on Saturday, MySportDab Reports.
Despite limited preparation — just two days of training in Nigeria and no warm-up games — the reigning champions looked sharp and cohesive, asserting their dominance from the tip-off.
Nigeria outscored Rwanda in every quarter: 17–8, 28–17, 24–12, and 21–8, maintaining relentless pressure throughout.
Elizabeth Balogun starred with a game-high 18 points, leading a balanced scoring effort that saw five D’Tigress players hit double figures.
Victoria Macaulay added 13 points, Murjanatu Musa had 12, Ifunanya Okoro chipped in 11, and Amy Okonkwo contributed 10, underlining the team’s depth and fluidity.
For Rwanda, Destiny Promise Philoxy and Keisha Hampton were the only bright spots, finishing with 11 and 10 points respectively.
Earlier in the day, Senegal — led by former D’Tigress head coach Otis Hughley — also sent a message to the competition with a commanding 92–48 win over Guinea.
Hughley, who guided Nigeria to their first Afrobasket crown in over a decade in 2017, laid the foundation for the team’s modern dominance.
With this statement win, D’Tigress look firmly on course to secure a fourth consecutive continental title.
