D’Tigress Dominate Colombia 70–37 in FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifier Opener
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Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, began their FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament campaign dominantly by beating Colombia 70–37 at the Astroballe arena in Villeurbanne, France, on March 11, 2026.
The seven-time African champions asserted their dominance in all facets of the game, showcasing both offensive precision and defensive discipline as they prepared for the 2026 World Cup in Berlin.
Under the guidance of head coach Rena Wakama, D’Tigress quickly set the tone, winning the first quarter 18–12. This opening victory marks Coach Rena’s 14th competitive win since her appointment in July 2023, extending her record to a 77% win rate from 18 matches.
By halftime, Nigeria held a narrow 34–29 lead after a competitive second quarter. The turning point came in the third quarter, when Nigeria launched a decisive scoring surge, extending the lead to 53–34. The final quarter was largely one-sided, with the D’Tigress limiting Colombia to just three points while adding 17 themselves to seal a 33-point victory.
Nigeria led for more than 33 minutes, with their biggest advantage reaching 34 points late in the game. For Colombia, Mabel Martinez was the top scorer with six points, but the team struggled to gain any meaningful momentum after the second quarter.
Although Nigeria had already secured a spot at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup by winning the Women’s AfroBasket 2025 title, the qualifying tournament provides an important platform to test tactical flexibility and bench depth against international opponents.
D’Tigress will face Korea in their second group match with other Group A teams, including the Philippines, host France, and Germany.
The five-day tournament runs from March 11–17, 2026, with the top two teams joining Germany and Nigeria at the 2026 World Cup. Nigeria hopes to match and improve on their 2018 World Cup feat in Tenerife, Spain, where they became the first African team to reach the knockout stage
