D’Tigress storm back to beat Philippines 101–84 at World Cup qualifiers

Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, produced a dominant second-half performance to defeat the Philippines 101–84 on Saturday to secure their second victory in three games at the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Lyon, France.

After a difficult outing against South Korea on Thursday, the Nigerian side responded with resilience and attacking intensity, overturning a halftime deficit to seal an emphatic win.

The result provides a strong response from Coach Rena Wakama’s team, who had suffered a 77–60 defeat to South Korea after opening their campaign with a commanding 70–37 victory over Colombia.

Slow start for Nigeria

The Philippines began the game brightly and edged the first quarter 26–21, capitalising on defensive lapses from the Nigerian side.

Nigeria struggled to fully assert themselves in the opening half as the Asian team maintained their rhythm in the second quarter, winning it 25–21 to take a 51–42 lead into halftime.

Despite the deficit, D’Tigress remained within reach and showed signs of growing confidence as the game progressed.

Second-half turnaround

The turning point came after the break when Nigeria dramatically raised their intensity.

D’Tigress dominated the third quarter 34–21, overturning the halftime deficit and swinging momentum firmly in their favour. Their improved defensive pressure and faster ball movement disrupted the Philippines’ offensive flow.

Nigeria maintained the tempo in the final quarter, outscoring their opponents 25–12 to close out the game in commanding fashion.

Strong team performance

Statistics from the game highlighted Nigeria’s superiority in several areas.

D’Tigress dominated the rebounding battle with 58 rebounds compared to the Philippines’ 33, while also registering 36 assists against their opponents’ 24, reflecting strong ball movement and teamwork.

The Nigerian side finished the game with 101 points, showing a much sharper offensive display than in their previous loss to South Korea.

Several players contributed across the roster. Victoria Macaulay, who had earlier led the team in scoring against South Korea, once again played an important role, while experienced guard Ezinne Kalu helped orchestrate the offence.

Other players, including Nicole Enabosi, Elizabeth Balogun, Murjanatu Musa, and Ifunanya Okoro, also made valuable contributions as Nigeria shared scoring responsibilities.

Regaining momentum

The victory restores momentum for the African champions in the tournament after the disappointment of the defeat to Korea.

Against South Korea, Nigeria struggled offensively and were outplayed in several statistical categories, particularly rebounds and assists. The Koreans sealed that contest 77–60, exposing weaknesses in Nigeria’s defence and shooting efficiency.

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However, the response against the Philippines demonstrated the team’s ability to recover quickly under pressure.

Focus on World Cup preparation

Although the results in Lyon remain important, Nigeria have already secured qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup after winning a historic fifth consecutive AfroBasket title in 2025.

The tournament, therefore, serves primarily as preparation for the global event scheduled to take place later this year in Berlin, Germany.