In September 2026, Giants of Africa brought together eight young women from five different countries and, in the space of a week, turned them into a team. The occasion was the adidas x ALBA Next Up Tournament, a U18 competition featuring eight international teams, held alongside the Women’s World Cup in Berlin. For these young women from Gabon, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Senegal, it was proof that basketball could be a common language even when their spoken ones weren’t. After participating at the Giants of Africa Festival in summer 2025, they returned to the court once again to showcase a borderless Africa.
Day One: The Journey Begins
The trip began with arrivals, as the girls touched down from five different corners of the continent (Ethiopia, Gabon, Nigeria, Senegal, and Tanzania) to meet teammates and coaches for the first time. This is where Giants of Africa’s mission always starts: not with a scoreboard, but with connection. Between different first languages and the ordinary awkwardness of new faces, the day was about introductions, first meals together, and first attempts to bridge language gaps that would, in time, dissolve into shorthand and inside jokes, proof, once again, that basketball speaks a language of its own across the continent.
Players and coaches also stepped in front of the camera for a media day style photoshoot, a chance for each player and coach to feel seen, confident, and celebrated before ever stepping onto the court.
That same day, the team hit the court together for the first time, learning a new offensive set under the direction of Coach Melissa and Coach Ade.
Day Two: First Game, First Glimpse of What They Could Become
The next day began with an early morning practice at a court the team found near their hotel. It was an unscheduled, informal setting that turned out to matter as much as any structured session, more time to bond, build chemistry, and settle into their new rhythm together.
From there, the tournament opened with a game against Rig Haga Norrköping of Sweden. It ended in a loss, but the score undersold the moment. These were young women who had never shared a court before, playing with a level of skill and heart that made clear this wasn’t really about the scoreboard yet. It was about what was becoming visible in real time: raw, considerable talent, and a team starting to find itself.
The game was also marked special by a surprise visit from one of the greatest WNBA players of all time, Candace Parker.
Following the game, it was off to explore Berlin, including a visit to historic sites like the Brandenburg Gate thanks to GOA’s partners at Afroball Berlin. This is part of what Giants of Africa is about too: basketball opening doors to new places, new history, and a wider world for these young women to discover.
The packed day closed with a special dinner hosted by ALBA Berlin, giving the girls the chance to connect with players from the other teams and hear directly from inspiring female leaders in the game.
Rewatch the games HERE.
Day Three: Games
After another early morning walkthrough at the nearby court, the girls faced a doubleheader that would put everything they’d been building to the test.
The first matchup was a tough one against USK Praha of the Czech Republic, and it ended in another loss. But by now, a pattern was emerging: every game, win or lose, these young women were leaving more connected than they arrived, and that showed up in how they fought.
In the afternoon, they faced hosts Alba Berlin of Germany, defeating them in a result that spoke to just how far their chemistry had come in only a few short days.
Day Four: GOA at the World Cup
With no game of their own on the schedule, the team spent the day in the stands at the Women’s World Cup. First up was Mali vs. Spain, where they got to witness Mali claim its first-ever World Cup win, an upset that had the whole arena on its feet. From there, they stayed to watch Nigeria take on Hungary.
For girls who’d spent the past few days building something of their own as a team, watching the world’s best players compete on the same stage was its own kind of inspiration, a glimpse of exactly what’s possible for them within the sport.
Day Five: Fifth Place Finish
The tournament closed with a win that landed the team at fifth-place. After a week that began with strangers and two hard-fought losses, the victory felt like the natural conclusion to everything that had been built: a group of young women who had learned each other’s rhythms, and turned five countries’ worth of talent into one team. Rose, from Tanzania, capped the week by being named the tournament’s Most Improved Player, a fitting reflection of the growth this whole trip was really about.
Following the game, the team gathered for a moment that mattered as much as anything that happened on the court. One by one, each girl shared the highlight of her experience and what she was most grateful for. Smiles, tears, joy, unity: that’s what Giants of Africa is all about, a reminder that the game is always just the beginning.
The celebrations continued courtesy of Giants of Africa’s generous partners at Nike. The girls visited Nike HQ, where they met Team France, designed their own custom hoodies and jewelry, and more. From there, it was off to Uber Arena to watch the USA take on Italy, the perfect way to close out a week that these young women will carry with them long after they’ve landed back home.
The Bigger Picture
Strip away the games, and what this trip really captured is the belief at the heart of everything Giants of Africa does: that talent is everywhere across the continent, and that when it comes together, it becomes something bigger. In five days, girls who arrived unable to fully understand one another left as teammates who understood each other perfectly where it mattered most. That’s the magic of what happened in Berlin, and it’s the reason this work matters.
