Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, began their FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament campaign with a dominant 70–37 victory over Colombia at the Astroballe arena in Villeurbanne, France on Wednesday.
The seven-time African champions opened the tournament with a commanding performance, asserting their superiority in all facets of the game as they seek to sharpen their preparations for the 2026 World Cup in Berlin.
Under the guidance of head coach Rena Wakama, the Nigerian side quickly set the tone with a first-quarter 18–12 lead, before steadily extending their advantage in a methodical display of offensive precision and defensive discipline.
By the second quarter, Nigeria held a 34–29 cushion, and a third-quarter surge saw the lead balloon to 53–34. The fourth quarter was largely academic, with the D’Tigress maintaining their intensity to close out a 33-point victory.
Nicole Enabosi was instrumental on both ends for the African champions, pulling down 11 rebounds, providing five assists, and adding 10 crucial points in the paint.
Victoria Macaulay led the scoring with 13 points and topped the efficiency chart at 19, while Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah contributed defensively with two blocks and crucial rebounds.
Guard Ifunanya Okoro complemented the team’s attacking rhythm with two steals and a key layup in the fourth quarter.
Colombia struggled to cope with Nigeria’s physicality and pace. Yuliany Paz was the only Colombian player to register double figures in efficiency with seven and also led her team with five rebounds and three blocks.
Mabel Martinez offered six points, but the Colombian side could not establish any meaningful momentum after a competitive second quarter, ultimately conceding a 37–point defeat.
This opening victory marked Wakama’s 14th competitive win since her appointment as D’Tigress coach in July 2023, extending her record to 77 per cent victories from 18 competitive matches, with losses coming against Belgium, France, and twice against the United States.
The win sets a positive tone for Nigeria’s second game of the qualifying series against Korea on Thursday (today).
Although D’Tigress have already secured a place at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup by virtue of winning the Women’s AfroBasket 2025 title, the qualifiers provide an invaluable opportunity to test their depth and tactical flexibility against international opposition.
The five-game tournament, running from March 11 to 17, sees the top two teams joining hosts Germany and AfroBasket champions Nigeria at the 2026 World Cup.
Nigeria will aim to replicate and build upon their historic achievement at the 2018 World Cup in Tenerife, Spain, where they became the first African side to progress from the group stage.
Wednesday’s comprehensive win over Colombia suggests that Wakama’s squad is on course to continue their continental dominance while sharpening their credentials on the global stage.
The PUNCH