Nigeria’s U-19 women’s basketball team suffered a tough loss to Canada, falling 113–42 in their second group game at the 2025 FIBA U-19 Women’s Basketball World Cup.
The match, played on Sunday, quickly turned into a one-sided affair as Canada dominated from the tip-off to the final buzzer.
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By halftime, the North Americans had surged ahead with a commanding 62–16 lead, thanks to their relentless offense and tight defensive setup.
Despite a more spirited third quarter from Nigeria, the damage had already been done, and Canada closed out the final period with ease to seal a 71-point victory.
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Hembam Wandoo emerged as Nigeria’s top performer in the defeat, registering 13 points, four rebounds, and three assists.
However, her efforts were not enough to stem the tide against a Canadian side that was physically superior and better organised on both ends of the court.
This result was a sharp contrast to Nigeria’s performance in their opening game against China, where they recorded a stunning 93–88 win.
In that contest, Nora Ezike delivered a flawless debut with 25 points, going eight-for-eight from the field and nine-of-eleven from the free-throw line.
Alongside her, players like Idubamo Beggi, Tobenna Nweke, and Jessica Ajayi helped power the J’Tigress to a historic win over a strong Chinese team.
But less than 24 hours later, Nigeria found themselves completely outmatched.
Canada opened the game with a 23–5 first quarter and continued to build momentum, scoring 39 points in the second quarter alone.
Although Nigeria managed to score 16 points in the third quarter—more than their total in the first half—it was nowhere near enough to mount a comeback.
The fourth quarter saw Canada once again impose their will, outscoring Nigeria 28–10 to close out the game.
The result exposed the gap in experience and preparation between the two teams.
While Nigeria has shown glimpses of promise, especially with their talent pool and flashes of resilience, consistency at the elite level remains a challenge.
The loss also highlighted the need for more structured development programs and international exposure for the country’s youth teams.
READ ALSO: Nigeria stuns China in opening game of FIBA U-19 Women’s World Cup
Nigeria’s coaching staff, led by Juliana Negedu Akhere, now face the challenge of lifting the morale of their players and refocusing them for their last group game against Portugal.
With one win and one loss, the J’Tigress still have a fighting chance of advancing, depending on how other results play out.
