DAKAR, Senegal – UCLA Bruin Atonye Nyingifa and the Nigeria Women's National Team (5-0) won their second-consecutive FIBA AfroBasket title on Sunday, taking down Senegal 60-55 in front of over 15,000 fans at Dakar Arena.
During the five-game championship run, Nyingifa averaged 6.2 points per game, scoring in double figures twice. During the Group Phase, she scored 12 points on 4-for-5 shooting to go along with four rebounds against Tunisia. She gave Nigeria a big lift in the semifinals, scoring 10 points and nailing a trio of 3-pointers to help seal a 79-58 triumph over Mali.
In the finals, Nigeria led at the break, 32-24, before Senegal battled back to tie the game at 54 apiece. But in the final 2:24, Nigeria scored six of the game's last seven points to seal the win.
Nyingifa competed for UCLA between 2008-09 and 2010-14. She ranks 15th on UCLA's all-time scoring list with 1,570 points and is seventh for career rebounds (920). During her senior campaign, Nyingifa averaged 18.2 points per game on the way to earning all-conference honors for the second year in a row.
During the five-game championship run, Nyingifa averaged 6.2 points per game, scoring in double figures twice. During the Group Phase, she scored 12 points on 4-for-5 shooting to go along with four rebounds against Tunisia. She gave Nigeria a big lift in the semifinals, scoring 10 points and nailing a trio of 3-pointers to help seal a 79-58 triumph over Mali.
In the finals, Nigeria led at the break, 32-24, before Senegal battled back to tie the game at 54 apiece. But in the final 2:24, Nigeria scored six of the game's last seven points to seal the win.
Nyingifa competed for UCLA between 2008-09 and 2010-14. She ranks 15th on UCLA's all-time scoring list with 1,570 points and is seventh for career rebounds (920). During her senior campaign, Nyingifa averaged 18.2 points per game on the way to earning all-conference honors for the second year in a row.