Nigeria became only the second side to win three African women’s basketball titles in a row when beating Mali 70-59 in Yaounde, Cameroon.
D’Tigress join record champions Senegal in achieving the feat, with the 11-time champions having won three in a row between 1974 and 1981.
The Nigerians – who more than justified their status as Africa’s highest-ranked side – led 22-11 after the first quarter and never looked back, with the Senegalese closing the gap in the final quarter by when it was too late.
Victoria Macaulay scored 15 points for Nigeria whose captain Adaora Elonu, named player of the tournament after the final, weighed in with 12.
Mali’s search for a first title since 2007 – and only second overall – goes on but they can reflect on an impressive display in Cameroon.
Not only did they go one better than their third-place finishes of both 2017 and 2019, but they also managed to put a damning report detailing ‘institutionalised sexual abuse’ in the Malian women’s game to one side.
Commissioned by world governing body Fiba, the report spoke of ‘decades’ of abuse suffered by some female players, which Mali’s federation – seven of whose members are now suspended – was adjudged to have covered up.
Earlier on Sunday, hosts Cameroon took bronze after beating Senegal 53-49 in the third-place play-off.
