D'Tigress fall to Sparks in historic friendly
Nigeria’s D’Tigress endured an 89–63 defeat to the Los Angeles Sparks in a landmark pre-season friendly at the Viejas Arena in San Diego on Saturday, in what was a historic first-ever meeting between an African national team and a WNBA franchise.
While the scoreline reflected the gulf in experience and cohesion, the occasion itself marked a significant step forward for women’s basketball, offering the African champions a rare taste of elite-level competition.
With head coach Rena Wakama absent due to her commitments with the Chicago Sky, assistant coach Wani Muganguzi took charge from the sidelines. D’Tigress opened with a starting five of Promise Amukamara, Ezinne Kalu, Nicole Enabosi, Victoria Macaulay, and Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah, but were immediately put on the back foot.
The Sparks burst out of the blocks with a commanding 12–0 run, setting the tone early and capitalising on Nigeria’s turnovers and defensive gaps to close the first quarter with a 27–17 lead.
Nigeria showed improved structure in the second quarter, with Uche Izoje and Favour Nwaedozi injecting energy into the offence. However, the Sparks remained composed, controlling possession and pace to extend their advantage to 44–29 at halftime.
Any hopes of a comeback were effectively shut down in the third quarter, as the WNBA side’s crisp ball movement and clinical finishing widened the gap further. By the time the final quarter arrived, the contest had already tilted decisively in favour of the hosts.
The Sparks’ depth continued to shine through in the closing stages, as they comfortably sealed the win, even without veteran forward Nneka Ogwumike, who watched from the sidelines in a symbolic moment given her Nigerian heritage.
Despite the defeat, D’Tigress found positives in individual performances. Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah was flawless from the field, leading the team with 11 points while adding a steal and a block in an efficient outing. Uche Izoje impressed with 10 points and five rebounds, showcasing her energy and presence on both ends.
Ezinne Kalu contributed eight points all from the free-throw line along with three assists and three rebounds, maintaining her role as the team’s floor general. Promise Amukamara delivered a well-rounded performance with eight points, four assists, four steals, and two rebounds, while Gabby White added seven points, four assists, and two steals off the bench.
Ultimately, Nigeria were hindered by 24 turnovers and a modest 37 percent shooting from the field, factors that proved costly against a well-drilled WNBA side.
Still, the encounter stands as a defining moment for African basketball, not just for the exposure but for the experience gained. Debutants Gabby White, Uche Izoje, and Favour Nwaedozi all earned their first caps, taking important steps in their international journeys.
D’Tigress will look to build on the lessons from this outing when they face the Minnesota Lynx on April 27 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, as preparations intensify ahead of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin.
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