PRETORIA (South Africa) - Golden girls Mali are the FIBA U18 Women's AfroBasket 2024 champions, picking a record-extending ninth title.
The Malians who have dominated the age-group competitions, faced off with a resilient Nigeria who have had quite the journey to the Final, in a scintillating edge-of-the-seat match for a dominant 76-56 show.
Oummou Koumare was the star of the show for the Malians, dropping a massive 31 points that proved instrumental for the victory. Rokiatou Berthe added 14 to the final tally as Oumou Dabo managed 10.
Nigeria took off for a 5-0 lead and further at 7-2 as the defending champions tried to find their footing. Koumare brought Mali to within two at 7-5, Dabo driving for a layup to level the score.
Koumare bagged back-to-back points to give Mali the lead at 11-7, Haminatu Ayodeji converting once from the free throw line to end the quarter trailing by 3.
Patience John got Nigeria underway in the second quarter to bring the former silver medalists back to within one. Koumare, however, pulled Mali away with a 6-0 run including a trey, layup and one free-throw for 18-10.
Halfway through the quarter, Mali led 23-12, having completely broken down Nigeria's defense. The latter, however, pulled themselves back for 24-20 with 3:16 minutes to play, the period ending 29-23 as the two sides headed to the locker rooms to re-strategise.
The back and forth continued with Koumare taking Mali 36-28 ahead with 7 minutes to play in the period, Nigeria forced into a timeout as they looked to stop the holder's run. A 24-19 show in the third quarter took Mali 11 points ahead.
Berthe dropped a 3-pointer right off the whistle in the final quarter, Koumare getting one of her own to add to Nigeria's misery as they trailed 59-42. It was raining threes for the record time champions Mali as skipper Mama Sidiki Doumbia and Koumare pulled their side away with a trey and layup respectively, Juliana Ojoshogu Negedu's side finding themselves 65-42 behind.
Idubamo Beggi stopped Mali's run for 65-44 with five minutes to go and at this point the champions in waiting had their fans singing their praises as they urged their players on to their ninth title.
Beggi kept the fight going, combining with Patience John to make it a 66-49 game with 3:39 to play but the 2010 silver medalists could not replicate their feat back then when they denied Mali to storm the Final.
Despite Nigeria's bench contributing more with 24 against 12, Mali dominated all other fronts to prove, yet again, the team to beat in the U18 Women's AfroBasket.
FIBA