Rena Wakama has become the first female coach to lead a team to victory in a women’s AfroBasket championship final.
The milestone came after Nigeria beat Senegal 84-74 in front of a sell-out crowd in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali.
Wakama’s first AfroBasket title is also Nigeria’s fourth in a row – matching Senegal’s record that began in the 1970s.
“It has been a long year for me. I asked God for a sign, and this trophy was the biggest of them all,” Wakama said later.
Senegal trailed Nigeria from early in the first quarter and a late dash for points in the fourth quarter was not enough to make up the difference.
Ifanya Okoro was Nigeria’s top scorer with 16 points. Senegal’s point guard Ciarra Dillard outscored her by three.
In the third-fourth place play-off, Mali beat hosts Rwanda 89-52.
