Nigeria U19 women basketball team, the Junior D’Tigress, have stepped up training in Abuja as they prepare for the 2025 FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup in Czechia, www.aclsports.com reports.
The team has been in camp for several weeks, focusing on fitness, tactics, and team chemistry under the watchful eye of the coaching crew.
The training is part of efforts to ensure the team is fully ready to compete. Nigeria secured their spot by finishing as runners-up at the 2024 U18 Women’s AfroBasket in South Africa, where they lost narrowly to Mali in the final.
Hoops Update!🏀
— Biobelemoye🤎 (@Ikio_Annabel) September 14, 2024
FIBA U18 Women’s Afrobasket Final.
End of Game: Mali 76-56 Nigeria.
The junior D'Tigress fell to defeat in the hands of Mali.
They have had a tournament to be proud of, getting silver and picking the 2025 U19 FIBA World Cup Ticket.👏🏾💚 pic.twitter.com/NVd7sB0VlK
As part of their build-up, a friendly match has been scheduled to take place in Spain. The game is designed to give the players valuable international experience, but the trip depends on the timely approval of travel visas.
The 16th edition of the tournament will run from July 12 to 20, featuring 16 national teams. Nigeria has been drawn in Group B alongside China, Canada, and Portugal.
The Junior D’Tigress will begin their campaign on the opening day against China, followed by matches against Canada and Portugal.
This will mark Nigeria’s first actual appearance at the U19 World Cup. Although the team qualified for the 2011 edition, they did not participate in the tournament. With high hopes and focused preparations, the Junior D’Tigress aim to make a bold statement and highlight the continued rise of Nigerian women’s basketball on the global stage.
