Nigeria’s D’Tigress are set to kick off their campaign at the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament against Colombia at the Villeurbanne Sports Arena in Lyon on Wednesday.
The reigning African champions are determined to start the tournament on a strong note.
Rena Wakama’s squad is highly focused on maximizing their performance in Lyon, despite having already secured a spot at the main event, the World Cup in Berlin, Germany, this September, as African champions.
Known for improving with every game in major competitions, the Nigerian girls are determined not to underestimate their relatively unknown South American opponents, who are themselves eager to qualify for only their second Women’s World Cup in Germany later this year.
Today’s clash in Lyon will also mark a historic first: it is the very first encounter between Nigeria and Colombia in women’s basketball.
Colombia, meanwhile, have been making waves in South American women’s basketball, recently climbing 11 spots in the FIBA rankings to 19th place, putting them among the world’s top 20 nations.
Two of Nigeria’s star players, Ezinne Kalu and Amy Okonkwo, have been named among the top ten players to watch in the tournament, as D’Tigress aim to extend their unbeaten streak from the 2025 FIBA Afrobasket in Côte d’Ivoire.
