By By Elizabeth Ugbo
Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, defeated Colombia 70–37 on Wednesday in France to open their campaign at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament, with coach Rena Wakama guiding the team to a dominant victory through aggressive defence, fast transitions and strong second-half scoring.
Strong Start Gives Nigeria Early Advantage
D’Tigress started the game with confidence and high intensity. The Nigerian side controlled possession and forced several turnovers.
Nigeria led 18–12 in the first quarter after executing quick offensive plays and solid defensive stops.
However, Colombia responded in the second quarter. They narrowly won the period 17–16, reducing the gap before halftime.
Despite the response, Nigeria remained in control of the overall tempo.
Dominant Second Half Secures Comfortable Victory
D’Tigress returned from halftime with stronger momentum. The team tightened their defence and increased scoring efficiency.
Nigeria outscored Colombia 19–5 in the third quarter.
The dominance continued in the final quarter. D’Tigress added 17 points while limiting Colombia to just three.
As a result, Nigeria sealed an emphatic 33-point victory.
Macaulay Leads Scoring Effort
Victoria Macaulay delivered the top performance for Nigeria.
She scored 13 points in 14 minutes and 20 seconds on the court.
Meanwhile, Ifunaya Okoro also made a strong contribution. She added 10 points after playing 28 minutes and one second.
The balanced scoring highlighted Nigeria’s squad depth and tactical discipline.
Wakama’s Impressive Coaching Record
The victory marked the 14th win for head coach Rena Wakama since her appointment in 2023.
Since taking charge, Wakama has overseen 18 competitive matches, winning 14 and losing four.
She also guided Nigeria to back-to-back titles at the FIBA Women’s Afrobasket 2023 and FIBA Women’s Afrobasket 2025.
Her leadership continues to strengthen Nigeria’s position in global women’s basketball.
Nigeria Maintain Strong Global Ranking
D’Tigress currently rank eighth in the FIBA world rankings.
The ranking reflects Nigeria’s consistent progress in international competitions.
One of the team’s biggest achievements remains reaching the quarter-finals of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.
Next Match Against South Korea
Nigeria will now shift focus to their next group match against South Korea on Thursday.
The team hopes to maintain their strong momentum and secure another win in the tournament.
However, the dominant victory over Colombia also highlighted the growing gap between Nigeria and several emerging basketball nations.
