Resilient D’Tigress Impress Despite Narrow Defeat to France

Resilient D’Tigress Impress Despite Narrow Defeat to France

By Niyi Busari 

D’Tigress Fall Narrowly to France After Spirited Second-Half Fightback

Eyes strong response against Germany on Tuesday

Nigeria’s women’s national basketball team, D’Tigress, delivered a spirited performance but fell 93–86 to host nation France in their FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament clash in Lyon on Sunday.

The reigning African champions struggled early in the contest but showed remarkable resilience after the break, mounting a strong second-half comeback that unsettled the home side and their supporters inside the Villeurbanne Sports Arena.

After trailing at halftime, Nigeria responded by winning the third quarter 21–15 to reduce the deficit. The fourth quarter remained tightly contested, ending 21–20, as France held on under intense pressure from the determined Nigerian side.

Team captain Amy Okonkwo, recently returning from a lengthy injury layoff, led Nigeria’s scoring with 16 points and two rebounds in an encouraging display. Elizabeth Balogun and Mujarnatu Musa each contributed 15 points, while Ezinne Kalu added 14 to keep the contest competitive throughout.

Despite the defeat, the performance was widely regarded as Nigeria’s most complete showing of the tournament so far, with head coach Rena Wakama praising her team’s effort and fighting spirit.

“I am super proud of my team,” Wakama said after the game. “If you want to beat the top teams, you have to be able to capitalise on games like this.

“Credit to the French team — they are a great team — but I have a great team too. I can assure you that we will continue to grow and learn as we aim toward our ultimate target.

“If no one believes in us, I believe in us. That is the belief we share in our locker room.”

Okonkwo also highlighted the team’s composure while playing against the host nation in front of a passionate French crowd.

“This is not the first time we are playing France in France,” she said. “We played them at the Olympics here and also before the Olympics.

“To be fair, we are used to that atmosphere. As a team, we know what is expected of us. When the crowd is loud, we stay together, keep fighting and continue supporting one another.”

The qualifying tournament concludes on Tuesday, when D’Tigress face another major European opponent, Germany, host of the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup, with the game scheduled for 5 p.m. Nigerian time.