Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress produced a remarkable second-half comeback to defeat the Philippines Women’s National Basketball Team 101–84 in their third game of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Lyon.
Playing at the Astroballe Arena, the African champions recovered from a slow start to claim their second win of the tournament after losing their previous game to South Korea Women’s National Basketball Team.
The Filipinas dominated the opening half, taking advantage of Nigeria’s early shooting struggles and turnovers. They won the first quarter 25–21 and extended their advantage in the second period with a 26–21 scoreline to head into halftime with a comfortable 51–42 lead.
However, D’Tigress returned from the break with renewed intensity. The Nigerian side turned the game around in the third quarter, outscoring the Philippines 34–21 to wipe out the deficit and take control of the contest.
The momentum continued in the final period as the African champions overwhelmed their opponents, dominating the fourth quarter 25–12 to seal an emphatic 101–84 victory and surpass the 100-point mark.
Victoria Macaulay led the scoring for Nigeria with 16 points, while Nicole Enabosi recorded a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Elizabeth Balogun added 14 points, Ezinne Kalu contributed 13 points and seven assists, while Ifunanya Okoro and Murjanatu Musa also finished in double figures.
Nigeria dominated the boards 58–33 and controlled the paint with a 52–30 advantage, while recording 36 assists in a commanding team performance. The 101 points scored also marked Nigeria’s highest ever total in a Women’s World Cup qualifying game.
The team will next face hosts France Women’s National Basketball Team as they continue their campaign in the qualifying tournament.
