Just months after giving birth to her son, Bentley, veteran D’Tigress guard Sarah Ogoke, returned to the court and made history as the only basketballer in Africa to win the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket five times consecutively, www.aclsports.com reports.
“I pushed a baby out, which one is AfroBasket again?” Ogoke said, reflecting on her rapid return to action.
At the 2025 edition in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, she balanced the demands of elite competition with new motherhood. Speaking to BBC Africa, she revealed how her teammates rallied around her, doting on Bentley, feeding him, and even changing his diapers between games. For Ogoke, motherhood didn’t dim her competitive fire; it simply tucked it away until tip-off.
Her sporting journey began far from the hardwood. Growing up in Nigeria, she played football with boys in her neighbourhood until she finally had the chance to join an organised girls’ basketball team, a moment that changed everything.
Her big break came when Nigerian basketball legend Mfon Udoka, who captained D’Tigress to their first two AfroBasket titles, reached out. “I was amazed at the opportunity to play with such an amazing calibre of women,” Ogoke recalled.
Following their 2025 triumph, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu honored the D’Tigress team with significant rewards. Each player received $100,000, a three-bedroom flat in Abuja, and the prestigious national honor of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON). For Dr Sarah Ogoke, these gifts marked a deeply personal milestone.
“After all the team’s hard work, I finally have my own place in Nigeria, somewhere my son, my husband, and I can call ours,” she said with pride.
Beyond the basketball court, Sarah Ogoke is a trained podiatric surgeon, balancing her demanding medical career with the rigours of elite sport, a rare and inspiring combination.
From pushing past defenders to pushing through labour, Dr. Sarah Ogoke’s story is one of endurance, adaptability, and excellence, proof that motherhood and sporting greatness can thrive side by side.
