Nigeria’s Junior D’Tigress advanced to the final of the FIBA U18 Women’s AfroBasket 2024 after a hard-fought 71-67 victory over Uganda on Friday. The thrilling semifinal clash took place at Pretoria University in South Africa, where Nigeria’s triumph also earned them a ticket to the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup 2025 in Czechia.
The victory was a moment of sweet revenge for the Nigerians, who had lost to Uganda in the Group Phase. The Junior D’Tigress, 2010 silver medalists, showed resilience and determination as they bounced back from earlier setbacks in the tournament to secure their place in the final.
After a dominant 107-30 win over Zimbabwe in the Group Phase, Nigeria advanced to the Last Eight as one of the best third-place finishers. In the quarterfinals, they turned the tables on Egypt, defeating the Pharaohs 66-51 after losing to them 72-60 earlier in the competition.
Led by Juliana Ojoshogu Negedu, the Junior D’Tigress faced a determined Ugandan side coached by Omondi, who had already elevated Uganda’s ranking from the previous edition. Despite Uganda’s efforts to make their first podium finish, Nigeria’s superior play, spearheaded by Idubamo Beggi and Abigail Isaac, outclassed Uganda’s key players Resty Nanangwe, Modesta Anyango, and Mia Belinda.
Nigeria will face Mali in the final on Saturday, aiming to avenge the men’s team’s quarterfinal defeat to Mali earlier in the week.
Mali had crushed Cameroon 103-45 in their semifinal match, setting the stage for a fierce final showdown between the two West African powerhouses.
