Nigeria’s junior D’Tigress suffered a 76-56 loss to Mali in the final of the FIBA U-18 Women’s Afrobasket final on Saturday night.
Oummou Koumare, who was voted the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, put up a massive 31 points, four rebounds, and five steals against Nigeria.
Also, Nigerian guard and MFM Queens basketball team player, Idubamo Beggi, earned a spot in the tournament’s All-Star team. The 18-year-old scored 109 points across six games and was instrumental in the team’s run to the final.
The U-18 national women’s basketball team, the Junior D’Tigress, fell short in the FIBA U18 Women’s AfroBasket 2024 final on Saturday, losing 56-76 to Mali, who clinched a record ninth title.
Despite a strong start with a 5-0 run, the Nigerians struggled to keep up with the dominant Malian side.
Mali won all four quarters, taking the first 11-8, the second 18-15, the third 24-19, and the fourth quarter with a commanding 23-14.
The Malians excelled in the paint, outscoring Nigeria 30-16, and capitalised on fast breaks, adding 15 points. Nigeria’s bench was more productive, contributing 24 points compared to Mali’s 12.
Despite the loss in the final, the junior D’Tigress of Nigeria qualified for the FIBA U-19 Women’s World Cup next year.