ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) - The transition from the junior to senior ranks in basketball can be challenging, but for some, it comes naturally.
Several players are expected to make their debut at the Women's Afrobasket 2025 in Abidjan from July 26 to August 3.
Let's take a look at some of the standout talents competing in this showcase, which also serves as a World Cup pre-qualifier.
Will they replicate their junior prowess in Abidjan?
Jana Elalfy (Egypt)
Born: September 20, 2005 Height: 1.93m (6ft 4in) Position: Center
At 19 years old, Jana Elalfy is already a star. She has excelled at every level of basketball, becoming one of the most promising talents to emerge from the Egyptian basketball program in recent years.
She was named to the All-Tournament Team when Egypt finished second at the 2022 FIBA U18 Women's AfroBasket. This was a year after a similar achievement with the U16 team, when they lost to Mali.
Elalfy was also named MVP at the 2022 Basketball Without Borders Africa Camp.
She turned heads at the 2023 FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup, leading all players in scoring with 21.4 points per game and being named to the All-Star Second Team.
In January 2023, Elalfy joined the UConn Huskies women's team and was part of the Huskies team that won the NCAA Women's National Championship in April 2025.
Elalfy will be essential for the North Africans as they strive to end their 48-year wait for a podium finish.
Oummou Koumare (Mali)
Born: December 10, 2006 Height: 1.76m (5ft 9in) Position: Forward
Eighteen-year-old Oummou Koumare played a crucial role in Mali's victory in the 2024 Women's U18 AfroBasket, going on to be named the competition's Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Koumare also received the awards for leading scorer and best three-point shooter. She averaged 22.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game.
She scored in the double digits in each of the six matches, saving her highest score of 31 points for the final game against Nigeria.
She scored 26 points against Morocco and 24 against Zambia and Cameroon in the group phase and semifinals, respectively, as well as 16 and 14 against Rwanda and Angola..
Damaris Emedie (Cameroon)
Born: Jan 19, 2007 Height: 1.92m (6ft 4in) Position: Center
The Université de Douala star was one of the standout players on the Cameroon team that stunned everyone with a third-place finish in their debut at the U18 Women's AfroBasket last year.
She was named to the All-Star team. At 17 years old, she was the only player to register double-double figures in every game (6). In addition to All-Star recognition, she won the Best Rebounder Award. She averaged 18.3 points, 17.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game.
She adds depth to Ahmed Njoya's squad as they look to return to the podium. They finished sixth in 2023, coming into the competition as bronze medalists in coach Njoya's first tournament.
Ana Servico (Angola)
Born: October 27, 2007 Height: 1.68m (5ft 6in) Position: Point Guard
The 17-year-old averaged 32.2 minutes on the court at last year's Women's U18 AfroBasket tournament in South Africa. She averaged 8.8 points per game (PPG), 5.8 rebounds per game (RPG), and 3.5 assists per game.
She was part of the team that won the bronze medal at the 2023 U16 tournament. In the third-place playoff against Tunisia, she scored 24 points, secured 10 rebounds, and had 5 steals in the 50-43 victory.
Servico was also recognized as the best defender at the 2024 Basketball Without Borders Africa camp organized by the NBA.
Kelya Kipo (Cameroon)
Born: May 16, 2006 Height: 1.83m (6ft) Position: Combo Guard
Kipo, another Basketball Without Borders graduate, was the driving force alongside Emedie as Cameroon made their debut in the U18 Women's AfroBasket.
She ranked second in efficiency and points for the Central African team, averaging 7.2 and 14.7 points per game, respectively.
Kipo was one of the top scorers, finishing seventh overall. Her highest score came against the hosts, South Africa, when she finished with 33 points.
Maria Gakdeng (South Sudan)
Born: June 9, 2003 Height: 1.91m (6ft 3in) Position: Center
Twenty-two-year-old center Maria Gakdeng, bound for Hungary and fresh off a contract with top-tier side KSC Szekszárd, will make her debut in African basketball with South Sudan's Bright Starlets.
She averaged 9.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game in her junior season at the University of North Carolina. She finished her senior season averaging 10.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game, earning second-team All-ACC honors.
The day after going unselected in the 2025 WNBA draft, Gakdeng received an invitation to training camp with the Atlanta Dream, but she was waived in May and chose to head to Hungary.
FIBA