Nigeria’s women’s national basketball team, Nigeria women’s national basketball team, produced a spirited comeback to defeat the Philippines women’s national basketball team 101–84 in their third match at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament.
The encounter, played in Lyon, saw the African champions overturn a nine-point halftime deficit to secure an impressive victory and strengthen their momentum in the competition.
Nigeria entered the match seeking redemption after suffering a 77–60 defeat to the South Korea women’s national basketball team in their previous outing.
The game began with the Philippine side showing strong offensive organization and taking advantage of defensive lapses from the Nigerian team.
The Asian side dominated the opening quarter, outscoring Nigeria 26–21 to gain an early lead.
The trend continued in the second quarter as the Philippines maintained their attacking rhythm while limiting Nigeria’s scoring opportunities.
At halftime, the scoreboard showed the Philippines ahead 51–42, putting pressure on the Nigerian side to respond in the remaining quarters.
The momentum of the match shifted significantly after the break as the Nigerian team returned with renewed energy and improved coordination.
Led by head coach Rena Wakama, the team increased the pace of their play while applying stronger defensive pressure.
Nigeria’s sharper ball movement and improved shooting accuracy helped them dominate the third quarter, which they won convincingly 34–21.
The surge erased the deficit and placed the African champions firmly in control of the game.
The momentum continued into the final quarter as Nigeria maintained their intensity on both ends of the court.
D’Tigress outscored the Philippines 25–12 in the last period, stretching their advantage and eventually sealing a comfortable 101–84 win.
The performance highlighted the resilience and attacking strength of the Nigerian side, which recovered from a slow start to dominate the second half of the contest.
The victory marks Nigeria’s second win in the qualifying tournament and serves as a morale boost as the team prepares for upcoming international competitions.
Although Nigeria have already secured qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, the qualifying tournament provides valuable preparation ahead of the global event scheduled to take place in Germany later in 2026.
Nigeria earned their World Cup ticket after clinching a historic fifth consecutive title at the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket last year, reinforcing their status as the dominant force in African women’s basketball.
With the comeback victory over the Philippines, D’Tigress have once again demonstrated their resilience and championship pedigree as they continue their preparations for the world stage.
