African champions, Nigeria D’Tigress, defeated Colombia 70–37 in their 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifying tournament opener in Lyon on Wednesday, www.aclsports.com reports.
The match, played at the Astroballe Arena in Lyon, France, was the first-ever meeting between the two sides.
Nigeria, already qualified for the World Cup and ranked eighth in the world heading into the game, produced an outstanding second-half performance, with coach Rena Wakama’s side overcoming the pressure of a closely contested first half to finish with a 33-point winning margin.
The D’Tigress started with Amy Okonkwo, Elizabeth Balogun, Promise Amukamara, Murjanatu Musa and Ezinne Kalu, with Amukamara opening the scoring for Nigeria. She converted a free throw before adding a lay-up to give the D’Tigress an early lead. Colombia responded through Mabel Martinez, whose three-pointer produced her side’s first basket of the game.
Nigeria edged the opening quarter 18–12, but Colombia, ranked 19th, stayed competitive in the second period, narrowing the gap before half-time as D’Tigress took a 34–29 lead into the break.
The African champions took full control after half-time with a dominant defensive display in the third quarter, limiting Colombia to just five points while extending their lead to 53–34 heading into the final quarter.
Nigeria maintained their intensity in the fourth quarter, restricting Colombia to only three points while adding 17 of their own to seal a convincing 70–37 victory.
Victoria Macaulay led Nigeria’s scoring with 13 points and six rebounds in just 14 minutes, earning Player of the Match honours. Nicole Enabosi produced a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds, while Ifunnaya Okoro added 10 points.
D’Tigress shot 40.6 per cent from the field, dominated the boards 51–31, and recorded 23 assists, underlining their teamwork and defensive discipline.
The African champions will now turn their attention to their next Group D fixture against South Korea on 12 March as they continue their World Cup campaign.
