Nigeria or Senegal? The 2023 Women’s AfroBasket championship game has everything

There's so much at stake in the 2023 FIBA Women's AfroBasket final that it could enter the history books as one of the most evenly-matched final.

From experienced to talented players, this year' Women's AfroBasket final, played in Kigali, is a must-watch game.

It will come to an end on Saturday, 5 August, with the final clash between Nigeria and Senegal.

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Both teams have exceeded expectations by reaching the championship game and will give all they have to bring home the most coveted trophy of women’s basketball in Africa.

This game will also go down in history as the one that gave Senegal its 12th continental crown, or that saw Nigeria lift the trophy for the fourth edition in a row to become only the second nation to have done so after, Senegal in 1974, 1977, 1979 and 1981.

Nigeria have had a smooth start to their tournament and have kept a perfect record since they set foot on the court at the BK Arena.

Their 2023 FIBA Women's AfroBasket saw them finish with significant victories over DR Congo, Egypt, Mozambique and Rwanda.

Senegal, on the other hand, are on a 3-2 series. While the lionesses suffered losses against Uganda and Mali, they subsequently brought some changes to their habits and overcame Egypt, Cameroon and Mali to make it to the final.

The 2023 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket will be a remake of the 2019 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket that was hosted by Senegal. Nigeria won their second straight title after seeing off the hosts 60-55 in a packed Dakar Arena.

They would later meet again, this time at the 2021 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket semi-finals in Yaounde, Cameroon, and Nigeria would once again walk away with flawless victory 73-63.

Nigeria would later claim the famous three-peat in the capital city of Cameroon.

Between them, these two countries share 16 titles. But the most decorated team is Senegal, who have won the trophy 11 times, in 1974, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1984, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2009 and 2015.

Nigeria have been on top of women’s basketball in Africa five times: 2003, 2005, 2017, 2019 and 2021. Who will add another trophy to their cabinet on Saturday is the question.

Both team captains have known the honor of winning the Women’s AfroBasket final.

Aya Traore, Senegal's captain, has been to six editions of the tournament (2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017), played in four finals and was crowned MVP twice (2009, 2015).

Sarah Ogoke, the Nigerian captain, has also featured in five Women’s AfroBasket (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021).

Left out of Nigeria's Tokyo 2020 squad, Ogoke reached the final three times and has yet to lose one. This will be her seventh appearance at the Women’s AfroBasket, just like her Senegalese counterpart.

Rena Wakama is the only female head coach at the 2023 edition of FIBA’s flagship event for women. And if she leads Nigeria to victory, she will be the first female coach to have accomplished this feat in the history of the FIBA Women's AfroBasket.

On the other hand, if Senegal wins the tournament, Moustapha Gaye will add another medal to his collection after the ones he gathered in 2009 and 2015.