D'Tigress roar back to victory against Philippines in FIBA Women's World Cup Qualifiers
African champions Nigeria’s D’Tigress produced a powerful second-half performance to defeat the Philippines 101–84 in their third game of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifying tournament in Lyon, France.
Nigeria trailed 51–42 at halftime but returned from the break with renewed intensity, dominating the third and fourth quarters with 34 and 25 points respectively to seal an emphatic victory.
Head coach Rena Wakama made one adjustment to her starting lineup, introducing Victoria Macaulay in place of Amy Okonkwo. Ezinne Kalu opened the scoring for Nigeria, but early shooting struggles and turnovers allowed the Philippines to seize control and finish the first quarter ahead 26–21.
Despite the slow start, Nicole Enabosi kept Nigeria within reach, leading the team with 13 first-half points, while Kalu added nine points and Ifunanya Okoro chipped in four as the Filipinas carried a nine-point advantage into the break.
The momentum shifted dramatically in the second half as D’Tigress tightened their defense and began to capitalize on fast-break opportunities. Murjanatu Musa delivered an outstanding all-round display, finishing just shy of a triple-double with 10 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, one block, and one steal.
Nigeria also controlled the paint through the efforts of Ifunanya Okoro and Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah, while Victoria Macaulay and Elizabeth Balogun provided crucial scoring from the perimeter.
By the end of the third quarter, Nigeria had surged into a 77–72 lead before stretching the margin further in the final period through key contributions from Balogun, Macaulay, and veteran guard Sarah Ogoke.
Macaulay finished as Nigeria’s top scorer for the third consecutive game with 16 points. Enabosi recorded a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Balogun added 14 points. Kalu contributed 13 points and seven assists, with Okoro and Musa also reaching double figures, marking the first time Nigeria had six players scoring in double digits in the tournament.
D’Tigress dominated the rebounds 58–33, including 18 offensive boards, and registered 36 assists. They also outscored the Philippines 52–30 in the paint and held a 10–5 edge in second-chance points.
Nigeria’s 101-point haul set a new record in FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifying, surpassing their previous best of 76 points and marking the first time the team has scored over 100 points in a qualifier since their clash with Cameroon at the 2019 Women’s Afrobasket.
The D’Tigress will next face host nation France on March 15 as they aim to build on the momentum and strengthen their qualification campaign.
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