D’Tigress smash Philippines 101–84 in historic FIBA qualifier blowout

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

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

The emphatic win saw the African champions surpass the 100-point mark for the first time in seven years, ending a long wait for a century game on the international stage.

After a difficult outing against South Korea on Thursday, where they suffered a 77–60 defeat, Coach Rena Wakama’s side looked shaky in the opening half against the Philippines.

The Asian team capitalised on defensive lapses, taking the first quarter 26–21 and the second 25–21 to establish a 51–42 halftime lead.

However, D’Tigress emerged from the break with renewed intensity. The Nigerian side dominated the third quarter 34–21, overturning the deficit and swinging momentum firmly in their favour. They maintained the tempo in the final period, outscoring their opponents 25–12 to close out the game in commanding fashion.

Nigeria’s 101-point tally set a new FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifying record for the team, surpassing their previous high of 76 and marking the first time they have scored over 100 points in a qualifier since the 2019 Women’s Afrobasket clash with Cameroon.

The scoring was remarkably balanced, with six players reaching double figures for the first time in the qualifying tournament.

Victoria Macaulay topped Nigeria’s scoring for the third consecutive game with 16 points, while Nicole Enabosi added 15 points and 12 rebounds. Elizabeth Balogun contributed 14 points, with Ezinne Kalu adding 13 points and seven assists.

Murjanatu Musa delivered an outstanding all-round performance, narrowly missing a triple-double with 10 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists, earning MVP honours for the match.

The statistics reflected Nigeria’s superiority across the court. D’Tigress dominated the rebounding battle 58–33, including 18 offensive boards, and recorded 36 assists against the Philippines’ 24. They also outscored their opponents in the paint 52–30.

The victory provided a strong response from Wakama’s team, who had opened their campaign with a commanding 70–37 victory over Colombia before the Korea loss. Following that defeat, Wakama had urged her players to quickly refocus.

“Korea is a great team. We struggled with our shooting and had 22 turnovers, which is not typical of our game,” Wakama said after the Korea match.

“Our mentality is strong, and we will not overreact to the loss. We will learn from it and prepare better for the next game.”

The comeback against the Philippines demonstrated exactly that resilience.

Although Nigeria have already secured qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup after winning a historic fifth consecutive AfroBasket title in 2025, the Lyon tournament serves as crucial preparation for the global event scheduled for September in Berlin, Germany.

D’Tigress will next face host nation France on Sunday, aiming to carry their momentum into the final stage of the qualifying campaign.