Nigeria’s Junior D’Tigress will face Mali in the final of the 2026 FIBA U18 Women’s AfroBasket today. They secured their spot in the final and a ticket to the 2027 FIBA U-19 Women’s Basketball World Cup in China by beating Ivory Coast 53-50 in the semi-finals on Friday.
The final will take place at the Palais des Sports dome in Treichville. This match is a repeat of the 2024 championship, where Mali defeated Nigeria 76-56 in Pretoria, South Africa, to lift the trophy.
Against Ivory Coast, the Junior D’Tigress played well in a tight game that went down to the wire. Nigeria won the first quarter 12-11 and led 27-23 at halftime. They kept their lead in the third quarter, winning it 14-13 to lead 41-36. Ivory Coast fought hard in the fourth quarter, winning it 12-11, but Nigeria held on for a three-point victory.
Favour Joy Anari led Nigeria’s scoring with 15 points, four assists, and five steals. Oluwatobiloba Owolabi added 11 points, including three of four shots from three-point range. Nimah Ibidunni grabbed 12 rebounds while adding six points. Zainab Adelaja contributed six points, 10 rebounds, and four assists.
Mali reached the final after a 57-55 win over Egypt. They go into today’s match as the defending champions, looking for their tenth AfroBasket title in this age group. Mali has won nine titles and two silver medals, while Nigeria has two silver medals.
Mali finished their group unbeaten, beating Benin 124-20, Morocco 103-30, and Egypt 62-57. They crushed Kenya 93-22 in the quarter-finals. Maimouna Traore, Suzane Dembele, Assan Mariko, Couda Keita, and Aminata Samake have been key players for Mali in Abidjan.
Nigeria finished the group stage with a 2-1 record. They beat Tunisia 54-50 and Senegal 70-40, but lost 75-74 to Cameroon. They got revenge in the quarter-finals, defeating Cameroon 75-45, before edging past Ivory Coast in the semi-finals. Coach Peter Akindele will rely on Anari, Adelaja, Owolabi, Ibidunni, Bisola Arowolo, and Khadijah Alli for the final.
Owolabi said the Junior D’Tigress are eager to turn the tables on Mali today. She stated, "We’re aware that they are the defending champions and beat Nigeria in the 2024 final, but it will not be easy for Mali this time. As a team, we’re determined to change the narrative this time."
Both teams have already secured spots at the 2027 World Cup in China. This means the match today is just for bragging rights in Africa.
Meanwhile, the National Sports Commission has congratulated the Junior D’Tigress for qualifying for the World Cup. They described the win over Ivory Coast as a sign of resilience in a challenging environment.
Director General of the NSC, Bukola Olopade, praised the Nigeria Basketball Federation, led by President Musa Kida, for the success of the national teams, especially the women’s teams. He said, "The girls have done very well to secure their place at the Women’s World Cup in China next year. This shows their commitment, patriotism, and discipline. Now that the World Cup ticket is secured, I have no doubt that they can win the AfroBasket final against Mali today."
The Junior D’Tigress’s qualification follows that of the senior team, D’Tigress, who also qualified for the FIBA Women’s World Cup in Germany, set for September 2026.
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