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By Joe Apu
Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, wrapped up their preparatory tour of the United States with a 57–105 defeat to the Indiana Fever, bringing to a close a three-game WNBA series aimed at fine-tuning the squad ahead of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.
The African champions endured a difficult run throughout the tour, suffering three consecutive losses against top-tier opposition. They opened with an 89–63 defeat to the Los Angeles Sparks, followed by a more competitive 88–79 loss to the Minnesota Lynx, before falling heavily in their final outing against Indiana.
Despite the results, the tour is widely regarded as a crucial phase in D’Tigress’ build-up to the global showpiece, offering exposure to elite-level competition and highlighting areas requiring improvement.
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Nigeria, multiple-time African champions and the continent’s dominant force in women’s basketball, will now turn attention to the World Cup scheduled to take place in Germany from September 4–13, 2026. Drawn in Group B, D’Tigress face a challenging path against France, South Korea, and Hungary.
France, one of Europe’s strongest sides, are expected to present a major hurdle, while South Korea’s pace and Hungary’s tactical organisation add further depth to the group’s competitiveness.
The coaching crew led by Rena Wakama is expected to extract key lessons from the WNBA Tour, particularly in areas of defensive structure, offensive execution, and game management under pressure. While the scorelines may not reflect the team’s pedigree, the experience gained is seen as vital in preparing the squad for the intensity of World Cup.
As the countdown to Germany 2026 continues, D’Tigress will aim to translate their continental dominance into a stronger global showing, with renewed focus on advancing beyond the group stage and reinforcing Nigeria’s growing reputation in international women’s basketball.
