Mali defeated Nigeria once again to retain the U18 Women’s AfroBasket championship, according to Premium Times Nigeria. The win marks a repeat of the previous final between the two sides, with Mali again coming out on top.
The result means Nigeria’s Junior D’Tigress finished as runners-up in the continental tournament. Despite the loss, the team’s run to the final earned them a spot at the FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in China, as reported by LEADERSHIP Newspapers.
Nigeria’s National Sports Commission (NSC) praised the Junior D’Tigress for their performance throughout the competition, with the team’s effort described as showing commitment, patriotism, and discipline, according to Sports247 Nigeria. The NSC has set its sights on a strong campaign at the upcoming World Cup in China.
The final was the second consecutive meeting between Mali and Nigeria in the title match, with Mali again proving too strong. Premium Times Nigeria reported the result without providing specific scores or player details.
The tournament also featured a separate final preview from FIBA, highlighting a match between Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, though the outcome of that game was not included in the available reporting.
For Nigeria, attention now turns to the FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup in China, where the Junior D’Tigress will look to build on their continental silver-medal finish and improve on their international showing.
