African champions, Nigeria’s D’Tigress staged an impressive second-half comeback to defeat the Philippines 101–84 in their third 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifying match in Lyon, France, www.aclsports.com reports.
After trailing 51–42 at halftime, Nigeria exploded in the second half, scoring 34 and 25 points in the third and fourth quarters to secure their second win of the tournament, bouncing back from a defeat to South Korea in their previous outing.
Coach Rena Wakama made one change to the starting lineup, bringing Victoria Macaulay in for Amy Okonkwo. The D’Tigress opened the scoring through Ezinne Kalu, but early shooting struggles and turnovers allowed the Philippines to lead 26–21 after the first quarter.
Nigeria trailed 51–42 at half-time, with Nicole Enabosi leading the scoring on 13 points, followed by Ezinne Kalu (9 points) and Ifunanya Okoro (4 points).
In the second half, Nigeria gradually regained control, tightening their defense and capitalizing on fast-break opportunities. Murjanatu Musa was pivotal, narrowly missing a triple-double with 10 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 block, and 1 steal. In the paint, Ifunanya Okoro and Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah dominated, while Victoria Macaulay and Elizabeth Balogun provided crucial outside shooting.
By the end of the third quarter, Nigeria led 77–72 and extended their advantage in the final period thanks to contributions from Elizabeth Balogun, Victoria Macaulay, and Sarah Ogoke.
Victoria Macaulay topped Nigeria’s scoring for the third consecutive game with 16 points, while Nicole Enabosi added 15 points and 12 rebounds. Elizabeth Balogun scored 14 points, Ezinne Kalu contributed 13 points and seven assists, and Ifunanya Okoro and Murjanatu Musa also reached double figures. This marked the first time in the qualifying tournament that Nigeria had six players in double figures.
The D’Tigress dominated the boards 58–33, including 18 offensive and 40 defensive rebounds, recorded 36 assists, outscored the Philippines in the paint 52–30, and held a 10–5 advantage in second-chance points.
Nigeria’s 101 points set a new FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifying record, surpassing their previous high of 76 and marking the first time they have scored over 100 points in a FIBAWWC qualifier since the 2019 Women’s Afrobasket clash with Cameroon.
Next, the D’Tigress face host nation France on 15 March, aiming to carry their momentum into the next stage of the qualifying campaign.
