KINSHASA (DR Congo) - Cameroon has become the first nation to join four others already qualified for the finals of the 2025 FIBA Women's AfroBasket, to be held in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.
By beating DR Congo in a two-game series, the Cameroon women qualified for their ninth consecutive appearance at FIBA Africa's flagship women's event.
Cameroon, fielding a team slightly reshuffled from the 2023 edition, put their opponents' ambitions to bed in the first game, winning 75-49 on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Hermine Ngueko, Dulcy Fankam, who was making her return to the national team after missing out the 2023 Women's AfroBasket, and the others once again defeated the women's Leopards, this time by a score of 67-50.
Reigning African champions Nigeria, runner-up Senegal, bronze medalist Mali and fourth-place finisher Rwanda have already qualified for the 2025 event by virtue of reaching the Semi-Finals in 2023.
Alongside the five nations already in the running, Cote d'Ivoire have also qualified as hosts. The six remaining places will be up for grabs at the regional qualifiers to be held between November 2024 and February 2025.
Here's how the two-game series between DR Congo and Cameroon unfolded.
Gameday 1
Day 1 of the Zone 4 Qualifiers was relatively quiet for Cameroon. Coach Mbombo Njoya's charges made light work of the Congolese defense in the first quarter, with Fankam, Josiane Feumba Feumba and Carine Silatsa giving Cameroon an 8-0 lead after four minutes.
The first point for the Congolese came from a shot by Gracia Nguz.
But that didn't stop Cameroon leading by 9 points (13-4), then 11 (15-4) with two minutes left in the first quarter. The gap remained the same at the end of the first quarter (17-6).
The second quarter saw DR Congo try to get back into the game. Evodie Lubata Londa and her team-mates scored 20 points, but could do nothing against the Lionesses' offensive form, who headed to the locker room with a lead of 17 (43-26).
The third quarter was the game's turning point. While the Cameroonians' offensive line produced just 12 points, the DRC's failed to break the three-point barrier. As a result, Cameroon, with a 26-point lead (55-29), would never be caught.
The final quarter is a question of who would be the most skilful. DR Congo, spurred on by their fans, managed to score 20 points. Cameroon did the same, and the first Zone 4 Qualifying game ended on a score of 75-49.
Gameday 2
Having been roughed up the day before, the Women's Leopards had to heed the wake up call if they were to force a decision in their favor.
They showed this early on, scoring quickly. However, they were unable to outrun their opponents. Although they ended the first quarter with a slender advantage (17-13), by half-time the tide had turned and it was Cameroon who took the lead, with a 10-point advantage (34-24) at half-time.
Buoyed by Monique Makani's 15 points and Susanne Eben's 10, as well as an incredibly productive bench (24 points versus only 10 for DR Congo), Cameroon continued to extend their lead, ending the third quarter at 50-34.
In the final quarter, DR Congo put up a better fight, but it was too little too late. The score, 17-16, in favor of Cameroon, testifies to the intensity at the end of the match.
Looking back on the match, Monique Makani explained Cameroon's slow start. According to her, the large victory on the previous day may have influenced the start of the match.
“The fact that we won by a big score the day before made us a bit sleepy. But we knew how to react,” explained the 5ft11 (180 cm) back.
For his part, coach Mbombo Njoya explained that this qualifying phase was an opportunity to see some of the players who play in Cameroon. “I already know the players that are in Europe. It was an opportunity for me to see those who play in Cameroon, and it's my job as a coach to supervise them,” he added.
FIBA