PRETORIA (South Africa)- Nigeria's comeback story continued on the FIBA U18 Women's AfroBasket 2024 stage as they stunned favourites Uganda to not only reach the final but book a place in next year's U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup.
Nigeria, alongside Rwanda, qualified to the knock out stages as the best third-placed finishers and they took their second chance at the title seriously, seeing off Egypt 66-51 in the Quarters and repeating the feat against Uganda for a 71-67 victory.
The Idubamo Beggi-powered side had lost to the two sides in the Group Phase.
Nigeria raced to an early 7-1 lead but Resty Nanangwe and Shiphrah Kiranda pulled Uganda back to trail 10-6 but Doyinsola Lijirin doubled the advantage with a layup.
Nanangwe and Angella Auma brought Uganda to within a point at 12-11, Modesta Anyango giving the East Africans the lead for the first time off the free-throw line for 15-14. The score was tied at 17 off an Abigail Isaac layup, Lijirin and Beggi taking Nigeria ahead 21-20 at the end of the first period.
Wandoo Marvis Hembam got the West Africans off in the second quarter with a trey for 24-20, Patience John dropping one of her own for 29-24 but Uganda kept pulling themselves back trying to stay close.
Juliana Ojoshogu Negedu's charges switched up their defense, putting pressure on the Ugandans to go on an 11-point run that put them 40-26 forcing coach John Omondi into a timeout as his side needed adjustments.
Bushira Namayanja and Christine Namyalo responded immediately, off the break, making it an 8-point game as they went on their own run, playing great defense to stop Nigeria on their tracks, Immaculate Adongpiny bringing the score to 40-35, adding a steal that Namyalo converted to make it a 3-point game at 40-37. Beggi and Patience, however, made sure to restore Nigeria's lead to 6 at the end of the half.
While both sides had turned the ball over 12 times in the opening two quarters, Nigeria had taken full advantage of this to outscored Uganda 15-06, definitely a statistic that should worry a tactician fighting for his side's first ever podium finish.
Nigeria's transition offense in the third quarter saw them continue to dictate pace, leading 52-41 after four minutes of play and Uganda had to fight to bring back the game to 56-50 and revive hopes, as the match headed to final period with Negedu's charges leading 61-54.
Nanangwe opened the scoring in the final quarter but the Nigerians went back-to-back to make it a 10-point game in the opening two minutes to force Uganda into a timeout.
With Nigeria already in foul trouble, it was a dramatic final minutes as Modesta and Nanangwe missed sitters that would have brought them to within a basket of the West Africans.
Beggi punished the East Africans with a jumper to pull her side away for 70-64 with 5 minutes on the clock as Nigeria remained calm in the face of adversity as the seconds painfully ticked away for Omondi's charges who went on to lose the game 71-67.
Beggi shut down Uganda with a game-high 23 points, 6 assists, 5 steals and as many rebounds, adding 2 blocks for 29 in efficiency. Nanangwe led the scoring for Uganda with a 16-point, 12-rebounds double-double as Namyalo and Namayanja added 13 each in the defeat.
The East Africans will rue their chances as they only concerted 55% of their free-throw compared to Nigeria's 76, missing 15 shots against 5 for the eventual winners. They also conceded 24 against 17 off turnovers.
Former silver medalists Nigeria now turn their focus on defending champions Mali for the Final as Uganda face off with debutants Cameroon for bronze.
FIBA