D’Tigress kicked off their campaign at the FIBA
Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament with a commanding 70–37
victory over the Colombia women's national basketball team in France.
The reigning African champions set the tone early,
taking an 18–12 lead in the first quarter. Colombia fought back slightly in the
second quarter, edging it 17–16, but still trailed going into halftime.
In the second half, Nigeria completely dominated.
D’Tigress outscored Colombia 19–5 in the third quarter and 17–3 in the fourth,
sealing a 33-point triumph. The win marked the 14th victory for head coach Rena
Wakama since taking charge in 2023. Under her guidance, the team has played 18
competitive matches, recording 14 wins and four losses, including titles at the
2023 and 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket.
D’Tigress currently rank eighth in the world according
to FIBA, reflecting their consistent rise in international competitions. One of
the team’s notable achievements remains reaching the quarter-finals of the FIBA
Women’s Basketball World Cup.
Against Colombia, Nigeria controlled the pace with
aggressive defense and efficient transition play. Victoria Macaulay led the
scoring with 13 points in just over 14 minutes, while Ifunaya Okoro contributed
10 points over more than 28 minutes. Colombia struggled to break through
Nigeria’s organised defence, scoring only eight points in the entire second
half.
D’Tigress will face the South Korea women's national
basketball team in their next group match on Thursday as they continue their
World Cup qualifying campaign in France.
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