African Champions, the D’Tigress claimed a third consecutive Afrobasket Championship title following a 70-59 victory against Mali at the final of the 2021 Afrobasket in Yaounde, Cameroon.
This victory extends D’Tigress unbeaten run on the continent to 19 games spanning a period of six years. It also makes Nigeria the second country to win three titles in a row after Senegal did so from 1974-1981.
D’Tigress player of the night was Ify Ibekwe who hit a sensational double-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists. Her five defensive rebounds were crucial at critical points in the game as they helped slow down Mali’s momentum each time they tried to build one.
Another top performer was Victoria Macaulay who recorded an impressive 15 points while Ezinne Kalu added 13 points and the ever reliable captain Adaora Elonu contributing 12 points.
In the third place match, hosts Cameroon picked up the bronze medal after overpowering Senegal 53-49 in a keenly contested game reminiscent of the 2015 final.
D’Tigress captain Adaora Elonu bagged the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award of the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket 2021 as she led the team to a third straight continental title, and was also named among the team of the tournament. Elonu recorded 12 points, four rebounds, two assists and one block in the final against Mali.
2019 MVP and D’Tigress point guard, Ezinne Kalu; Senegal’s Yacine Diop; Cameroon’s young forward, Marina Paule Ewodo and Mali’s massive center, Mariam Coulibaly all completed the five woman team of the tournament.
Mozambique’s Tamara Seda won the best rebounder of FIBA Women’s AfroBasket 2021 award with a total of 52 rebounds; while Egypt’s Nadine Mohammed won the best scorer award with 101 points and Cote D’Ivoire guard, Salimata Berte won the best three-pointer award with 16 shots from behind the arch.
Image: Fiba.com
