D’Tigress Turn Attention to Spain After China Victory
May 5, 2014
Cameroonian Referee Aline Guimbang Appointed for Nigeria vs South Africa
May 7, 2014
Nigeria’s D’Tigress ended their three-game exhibition tour of China on a high, defeating the hosts 88–77 in Foshan on Wednesday. The victory gave the reigning African champions a timely confidence boost as they continue preparations for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin.
The result was particularly significant because Nigeria entered the final meeting looking to respond after suffering two consecutive defeats to China. The hosts won the opening game 70–67 before edging D’Tigress 69–65 in the second encounter.
D’Tigress Make Fast Start
Nigeria wasted little time taking control of the final game.
D’Tigress raced into a 32–17 lead after the first quarter, combining aggressive defence with efficient offensive play. They continued to dominate in the second period, adding another 26 points while restricting China to just 12.
By halftime, Nigeria had built a commanding 58–29 advantage.
China attempted to fight back after the break, but D’Tigress maintained enough control to enter the final quarter with a 71–52 lead.
The hosts improved their scoring in the fourth quarter, but Nigeria held firm to secure an 11-point victory.
Elizabeth Balogun Leads the Charge
Elizabeth Balogun led Nigeria’s scoring with 26 points, while Grace Efosa contributed 19 points as D’Tigress produced one of their strongest performances of the tour.
The overall performance also gave head coach Rena Wakama another valuable opportunity to evaluate her squad against high-level international opposition.
More importantly, the victory showed the team’s ability to respond after difficult results rather than allowing the earlier defeats to affect their confidence.
A Valuable Lesson Ahead of the World Cup
The China tour formed part of D’Tigress’ extensive preparations for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.
The reigning African champions began their preparation in the United States before travelling to China for the three-game exhibition series. After the China tour, the team will move to Tenerife, Spain, where they are scheduled to continue their preparations from August 15 to 24.
Nigeria is expected to face Spain and Belgium during the Spanish phase before travelling to Zaragoza for another preparation period later in August.
The goal is not simply to win warm-up games. These matches give Wakama and her technical crew the chance to test combinations, improve defensive systems and prepare the team for the intensity of the World Cup.
World Cup Challenge Awaits
The 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup will take place in Berlin, Germany, from September 4 to 13.
Nigeria has been drawn in Group B alongside the Republic of Korea, Hungary and France.
With the tournament approaching, every preparation game matters.
The victory over China will not count toward Nigeria’s World Cup record, but it could prove valuable psychologically. After losing the first two games of the series, D’Tigress responded with a dominant opening half and showed the resilience expected from the reigning African champions.
D’Tigress Building Momentum
The 88–77 victory gives Nigeria something positive to take from the China tour.
There is still work to do before the World Cup, particularly against the world’s strongest teams, but the final result demonstrated that D’Tigress can adjust, respond and compete against quality opposition.
Now, attention turns to Spain.
With more warm-up games ahead and the World Cup just weeks away, Nigeria will hope the momentum from Foshan becomes the foundation for an even stronger run in Berlin.
D’Tigress have made their statement in China. The real test comes in September.
