ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) - No one foresaw what Mali did to Cameroon on Monday night, securing Group B's automatic berth to the 2025 Women's AfroBasket quarterfinals.
Mali was a different team than the one that struggled to beat South Sudan 55-53 in the Group B opener.
They dominated Cameroon, winning 75-49.
The two sides were facing off for the sixth time since 2007, so it was a clash with a lot of history.
TURNING POINT: The reigning bronze medalists played tight defense from the start and proved too lethal on offense, winning the opening quarter 18-9.
They shut down Cameroon's playmaker, Jessica Thomas, who is arguably the side's best ball handler, holding her to just seven points in the opening half. At one point, they led by as many as 18.
HERO: Sika Kone had a quiet game against South Sudan, scoring three and pulling seven boards. Against Cameroon, however, she exploded for a game-high 15 points, completing a double-double with 16 rebounds, 10 on defense. She added two assist and was at fault for giving the ball away only twice, going on to finish with an efficiency rating of 27.
STATS DON'T LIE: The eventual winners took a 6-0 lead right from the start, leaving their opponents with little time to regroup.
Despite Joelly Belleka's four points and Carine Silatsa's basket, which brought Ahmed Mbombo Njoya's team within a point at 8-6, Mali never came closer to winning.
The two sides last clashed in the 2021 edition in Cameroon where Mali broke the hearts of thousands of fans after denying the hosts an opportunity to reach their first final since 2015 with a final score of 52–51.
Much was expected of this matchup, but Cameroon's slow start left them playing catch-up for the entire 40 minutes, ultimately losing by 26.
BOTTOM LINE: The 2021 and 2023 bronze medalists had unfinished business here.
Ultimately, Mali booked a direct ticket to the quarterfinals, having responded appropriately to South Sudan's scare on Game Day 1.
Cameroon, who settled for sixth place in 2023 and are looking to return to the podium, will now turn their focus to the Round of 16. WHAT THEY SAID: “We had to redeem ourselves. In the first game, we looked like a team that wasn’t there to compete. Tonight, we came out focused and showed everyone, especially our fans, what we are made of. That’s what our team is all about.”
“Did you see how packed the gym was with our fans? We played for them and for Mali. We're taking it one game at a time. This Mali team has no limits. As you can see, we have talent everywhere. We just need to stick together like we did tonight, and the rest will be history!.” – Mali guard Rokia Doumbia.
Mali is a very good team. They play very physically, and we lacked energy. They played a fast-paced game, and we struggled to stop them. They have twelve good players who can all contribute, whereas we had fewer options. This is my first time playing at AfroBasket, and yes, that’s right. I have been preparing for this moment for years, and it has been a brilliant experience for me. – Cameroon guard Joelly Belleka.
FIBA