By Peter Omopo
Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, will begin their campaign at the FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifying tournament with a match against Colombia at the Villeurbanne Sports Arena in Lyon on Wednesday.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Special Assistant on Media to the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Kola Daniel, the team was described as a growing force in world basketball and determined to start the tournament strongly.
The statement noted that the Nigerian team views the encounter against Colombia as an opportunity to build momentum ahead of the FIBA Women’s World Cup scheduled to hold in Berlin, Germany, in September.
Head Coach Rena Wakama was said to be focused on ensuring the team delivers a strong performance at the qualifying tournament despite already securing a place at the World Cup as reigning African champions.
According to the statement, the Nigerian players are determined not to underestimate their South American opponents, who are also aiming to qualify for their second appearance at the Women’s World Cup.
The meeting between Nigeria and Colombia will mark the first time both countries will face each other in the history of women’s basketball.
The statement also noted that Colombia has shown significant improvement in recent years, rising into the top 20 in the latest FIBA world rankings after climbing 11 places to 19th position.
Two Nigerian players, Ezinne Kalu and Amy Okonkwo, have also been listed among the top ten players to watch at the tournament as D’Tigress aim to extend their unbeaten run following their success at the 2025 FIBA Afrobasket in Côte d’Ivoire.
