D’Tigress eliminated from Women’s World Cup after defeat to France
Nigeria‘s national women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, has been eliminated from the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup. Their campaign concluded after a significant 111-56 defeat to France in their final group-stage match, held in Berlin, Germany. This loss marked their third consecutive defeat in the tournament, following earlier losses to South Korea and Hungary.
The outcome placed D’Tigress at the bottom of their group, bringing an end to their World Cup journey. This performance contrasts with a recent period of success for the Nigerian side, which included securing a fifth consecutive continental title and reaching the Olympic quarter-finals for the first time in their history.
Tournament Struggles
Despite their previous achievements, D’Tigress found it challenging to replicate that form on the global stage. Their struggles were particularly evident against France, where they faced a substantial deficit from the outset. France established an early lead, ending the opening quarter 31-13. By halftime, the French team had extended their advantage to 65-26.
The gap continued to widen in the third quarter, with France holding a commanding 95-36 lead heading into the final period. Although D’Tigress showed some resilience in the fourth quarter, they were unable to alter the final result, ultimately losing by a margin of 55 points.
This tournament marked Nigeria’s third appearance at the Women’s World Cup. The team’s performance in 2026 represents a notable setback compared to their run in the 2018 edition, where they reached the quarter-finals. D’Tigress had also qualified for the 2022 tournament but did not participate due to a self-imposed ban by the Federal Government on the country’s national basketball teams, with Mali taking Nigeria’s place.
Previous Group Stage Matches
Prior to their match against France, D’Tigress had already suffered two defeats in the group stage. Their second loss came against Hungary, where they were defeated 67-71 in Berlin. In that game, D’Tigress sought their first victory of the tournament after an initial loss to South Korea. Hungary took an early lead, finishing the first quarter 21-13 and maintaining control to lead 36-26 at halftime.
Nigeria remained 10 points behind at the end of the third quarter, with Hungary holding a 52-42 advantage. D’Tigress mounted a determined comeback in the fourth quarter, outscoring Hungary 25-19. This late rally brought Nigeria back into contention, but it was insufficient to overcome the deficit, resulting in a four-point victory for Hungary.
Key players for Nigeria against Hungary included Amy Okonkwo, who led the scoring with 17 points, six rebounds, and two assists in 29:46 minutes. Ezinne Kalu contributed 11 points, three rebounds, and a game-high nine assists in 35:51 minutes. Efe Balogun added 13 points, four rebounds, and three assists, while Victoria Macaulay provided 11 points in just 17:04 minutes off the bench. Murjanatu Musa also scored 10 points, grabbed four rebounds, and provided one assist in 29:29 minutes.
D’Tigress’s first match of the tournament was an 81-99 defeat against South Korea. Despite a strong performance from Okonkwo, who scored 22 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and provided three assists, Nigeria struggled to contain South Korea’s offensive power. While Nigeria remained competitive for extended periods in that opening game, they ultimately could not match their opponents. The loss to Hungary was a much closer contest, with D’Tigress showing greater resistance after falling behind early.
Source: channelstv.com
