- D’Tigress defeated Colombia 70–37 in World Cup qualifying opener in France.
- Nigeria dominated game with strong defence and balanced offensive performance.
- Victory marks Rena Wakama’s 14th win since taking charge in 2023.
Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, opened their campaign at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament with a commanding 70–37 victory over Colombia women’s national basketball team on Wednesday, March 11.
EDITOR’S PICKS
- Governor Ahmadu Fintiri Defects To APC As Atiku’s Son Refuses To Dump PDP
- Should Governors Have To Join Ruling Party for ‘Greater Federal Support’?
- FEDSA National Pays Courtesy Visit to Lekki LCDA Chairman, Applauds Free JAMB Initiative
EKO HOT BLOG reports that the match, played at the Astroballe in Villeurbanne, saw the seven time African champions dominate from the opening minutes, setting the tone for an emphatic win as they began preparations toward the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.
Under head coach Rena Wakama, Nigeria controlled the pace early and took an 18–12 lead at the end of the first quarter. Their organised defence and efficient offence gradually stretched the gap as the contest progressed.
Colombia stayed within touching distance in the second quarter, but Nigeria still carried a 34–29 lead into halftime. The African champions then pulled away decisively in the third quarter, extending the advantage to 53–34 before sealing a comfortable 33 point victory.
Nicole Enabosi delivered a strong all round performance, finishing with 11 rebounds, five assists and 10 points in the paint.
Victoria Macaulay led the scoring for Nigeria with 13 points and recorded the highest efficiency rating of 19. Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah also stood out defensively with two blocks and several key rebounds.
Guard Ifunanya Okoro added energy from the backcourt, registering two steals and converting an important lay up in the final quarter as Nigeria maintained their intensity until the final buzzer.
Colombia struggled to cope with Nigeria’s physical play and pace throughout the game. Yuliany Paz emerged as the standout performer for the South American side, leading her team with five rebounds and three blocks while posting the team’s highest efficiency rating of seven.
Mabel Martinez contributed six points, but Colombia could not build any sustained momentum after a competitive second quarter.
The victory marked Wakama’s 14th competitive win since taking charge of D’Tigress in July 2023. Her record now stands at 14 wins from 18 matches, with losses coming against Belgium women’s national basketball team, France women’s national basketball team, and twice against the United States women’s national basketball team.
Nigeria will face the South Korea women’s national basketball team in their second game of the qualifying tournament on Thursday.
D’Tigress have already secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup after winning the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket 2025 title. However, the qualifying tournament provides Wakama’s team an opportunity to test squad depth and refine tactics against strong international opposition.
The tournament runs from March 11 to 17, with the top two teams advancing to join hosts Germany and AfroBasket champions Nigeria at the global competition in Berlin.
Nigeria will aim to build momentum ahead of the tournament after their historic outing at the 2018 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, where they became the first African team to progress beyond the group stage.
