Afrobasket 2024: Mali’s Golden Girls Win U18 FIBA Championship

Credit: Afrobasket/Intsagram

The 2024 FIBA U18 Women’s AfroBasket has come to a thrilling conclusion, with Mali crowned as champions after defeating Nigeria 76-56 on Saturday in Pretoria, South Africa. This victory marks a historic achievement for Mali, as they clinch their record-extending seventh U18 Women’s AfroBasket title since 2006.

Nigeria’s road to the final was nothing short of impressive. They qualified for the semifinals after a 66-51 victory over Egypt and secured their spot in the finals with a narrow 71-67 win against Uganda. However, despite their strong run, the Nigerian team couldn’t match Mali’s intensity in the final showdown.

The Malian team, who completed the tournament with an unbeaten 6-0 record, also secured one of the two available African tickets to the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup 2025, which will take place in Czechia. Nigeria earned the second ticket by finishing as runners-up.

In another exciting match, Cameroon claimed third place after a hard-fought 70-63 victory over Uganda. Cameroon, in their first appearance at the competition, bounced back after losing to reigning champions Mali in the semifinals. Uganda, who lost to Nigeria in their semifinal clash, finished fourth.

Watch the final game between Mali and Nigeria below: