Nigeria’s D’Tigress, fell just short in a tightly contested 77–76 loss to Türkiye in an international friendly played on Friday at the Turkcell Basketball Development Centre in Istanbul.

Coach Rena Wakama rolled out a balanced starting five featuring Sarah Ogoke, Grace Efosa, Nicole Enabosi, Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah, and newcomer Rita Igbokwe, a blend of experience and rising talent.

Turkey opened the scoring in the first quarter, but Nigeria responded quickly, edging the hosts 15–14. The D’Tigress carried that momentum into the second quarter, outscoring Türkiye 30–25 to take a 45–39 advantage into halftime.

The tide turned in the third quarter as the hosts found their rhythm, dropping 22 points to Nigeria’s 12 and reclaiming control of the game. D’Tigress mounted a strong fightback in the fourth quarter, outscoring Türkiye 19–16, but Sergi Uzun’s late bucket ultimately sealed the one-point win for the Europeans.

Despite the narrow defeat, Nigeria showed plenty of positives. New faces like Igbokwe and Efosa blended seamlessly with veterans Ogoke, Enabosi, and Kunaiyi-Akpanah, offering encouraging signs for the team’s depth and chemistry.

The friendly is part of Nigeria’s buildup to the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifiers, scheduled to take place in Lyon-Villeurbanne, France, from March 11 to 17, 2026, as preparations intensify for another global campaign.