D’Tigress Conclude US Tour With Heavy Loss To Indiana Fever

D’Tigress Conclude US Tour With Heavy Loss To Indiana Fever

By BSN Sports 

Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, ended their United States tour with a heavy 105–57 defeat to the Indiana Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Sunday, BSN Sports.com.ng reports.

Playing in front of a crowd of over 10,000, the African champions struggled to match the pace and precision of their WNBA opponents, who controlled the game from the outset in their final pre-season fixture.

D’Tigress, led by a starting lineup that included Promise Amukamara, Ezinne Kalu, Victoria Macaulay, Nicole Enabosi and Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah, were quickly placed under pressure by Indiana’s fluid ball movement and transition play. The hosts raced to a 32–18 lead in the opening quarter before effectively putting the game beyond reach with a dominant 38–11 second-quarter display, taking a commanding 70–29 advantage into halftime.

Indiana’s superiority was evident in both execution and efficiency. The Fever recorded 26 assists compared to Nigeria’s eight, underlining their cohesive offensive system, while shooting 53.7 percent from the field and 45.2 percent from three-point range. In contrast, Nigeria managed just 30 percent shooting overall and failed to convert any attempts from beyond the arc.

The lack of perimeter threat allowed Indiana to compress the floor defensively, limiting Nigeria’s attacking options despite their 32 points in the paint. Turnovers further compounded the visitors’ difficulties, as D’Tigress committed 24, many of them unforced, leading to 32 points for the hosts.

Indiana also capitalised in transition, scoring 24 fast-break points compared to Nigeria’s 10, as the gap in speed and recovery became increasingly evident. A game-high 49-point lead and a 12-point scoring run highlighted the consistency of the Fever’s dominance.

Individually, Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana with 17 points, while Caitlin Clark contributed 12 points and four assists in limited minutes. Aliyah Boston added six assists, showcasing her versatility as Indiana experimented with tactical variations.

Nigeria, meanwhile, struggled to establish rhythm at either end of the court. Although they recorded 14 steals, those defensive efforts rarely translated into effective offensive sequences due to poor ball security and a lack of structure in half-court play.

The defeat capped a winless tour for D’Tigress, following earlier losses to the Los Angeles Sparks and the Minnesota Lynx. Of the three fixtures, their performance against Minnesota proved the most competitive.

With head coach Rena Wakama absent due to WNBA commitments with the Chicago Sky, the team was overseen by assistant coach Wani Muganguzi. The tour also reflected a transitional period for the squad, which is integrating a younger, largely collegiate-based roster.

Despite the results, the tour provided valuable preparation ahead of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin. Nigeria have been drawn in a challenging group alongside France, South Korea and Hungary, and will need to address shortcomings in shooting, ball control and overall cohesion to compete effectively.

While the historic series—marking the first time an African national team has faced WNBA opposition—offered important exposure, it also highlighted the significant gap that remains between D’Tigress and elite professional women’s basketball.