Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, stormed to a commanding 70-37 victory over Colombia to open their campaign at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Villeurbanne, France on Wednesday, March 11.
Playing at the Astroballe arena, the seven-time African champions controlled the game from the outset and rarely looked troubled as they began their preparations for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in convincing fashion.
Under head coach Rena Wakama, Nigeria dictated the tempo early, racing to an 18-12 lead at the end of the first quarter. Their defensive pressure and organised offence gradually widened the gap as the game progressed.
Colombia briefly stayed within reach during the second quarter, but Nigeria still carried a 34-29 advantage into the break. The African champions then pulled away decisively in the third quarter, stretching the lead to 53-34 before sealing a comfortable 33-point win.
Nicole Enabosi delivered a strong all-round display for Nigeria, finishing with 11 rebounds, five assists and 10 points in the paint.
Victoria Macaulay led the scoring with 13 points and posted the highest efficiency rating of 19. Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah also made her presence felt on defence with two blocks and several key rebounds.
Guard Ifunanya Okoro added energy at the backcourt, recording two steals and finishing a key lay-up in the final quarter as Nigeria maintained their intensity to the end.
Colombia struggled to match Nigeria’s physical approach and pace throughout the game. Yuliany Paz was the standout performer for the South Americans, leading her side with five rebounds and three blocks while registering the team’s highest efficiency score of seven.
Mabel Martinez contributed six points, but Colombia were unable to build any sustained momentum after a relatively competitive second quarter.
The victory marks Wakama’s 14th competitive win since taking charge of D’Tigress in July 2023. Her record now stands at 14 wins from 18 matches, with defeats coming against Belgium, France and twice against the United States.
Nigeria face South Korea women’s national basketball team in their second game of the qualifying series on Thursday.
D’Tigress have already secured their ticket to the 2026 World Cup after winning the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket 2025 title. However, the qualifying tournament offers Wakama’s side a chance to test squad depth and sharpen tactics against elite international opposition.
The competition runs from March 11 to 17, with the top two teams advancing to join hosts Germany and AfroBasket champions Nigeria at the global tournament in Berlin.
Nigeria will be hoping to build towards another strong outing at the World Cup after their historic run at the 2018 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Tenerife, Spain, where they became the first African team to progress beyond the group stage.