D’Tigress Eye Global Breakthrough After Tough Lyon Tests

D’Tigress Eye Global Breakthrough After Tough Lyon Tests

By Niyi Busari 

Head coach Rena Wakama has expressed confidence that Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D'Tigress, will be fully prepared to compete at the upcoming FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup scheduled to take place in Berlin, Germany, later this year.

Wakama made the remarks following her team’s performance at the recently concluded qualifying tournament in Lyon, where Nigeria recorded two wins and three narrow defeats. The losses came against South Korea, hosts France, and European powerhouse Germany.

Nigeria’s final game, played at the Villeurbanne Sports Arena, ended in an 81–73 defeat to Germany in a closely contested encounter. Despite the loss, Wakama praised her players for their competitiveness throughout the tournament.

Elizabeth Balogun led the scoring for Nigeria in the final game with 15 points, alongside three rebounds and one assist. Musa Mujarnatu also delivered a strong performance, contributing 13 points, six rebounds, and two assists.

Veteran guard Sarah Ogoke made her final appearance for the national team, marking her retirement with a memorable performance in Nigeria’s colours.

Reflecting on the tournament, Wakama described the experience as valuable preparation ahead of the World Cup, noting that the team had already secured qualification but approached the qualifiers with a competitive mindset.

“We were competitive throughout the tournament and learned together, especially from the games we lost,” Wakama said. “Going to the World Cup, we have to start games better and make improved decisions in critical moments. We will analyse our performances and focus on maintaining high energy levels.”

Standout center Victoria Macaulay was named in the tournament’s All-Star Five, alongside Janelle Salaun, Leeseul Kang, Frieda Buhner, and Marine Johannes.

Host nation France finished top of the standings with 10 points, followed by Germany with nine, while South Korea and Nigeria secured eight and seven points respectively.

The 16-team lineup for the World Cup is now complete following qualification tournaments across all continents. Host Germany will be joined by continental champions including Nigeria (Africa), Australia (Asia-Pacific), the United States (Americas), and Belgium (Europe), alongside other qualified nations such as Spain, China, Italy, Mali, Czechia, Turkey, Japan, Hungary, and Puerto Rico.

With the global tournament set for September, attention now turns to final preparations as D’Tigress aim to build on their status as Africa’s dominant force and make a strong impression on the world stage.