D’Tigress will play for pride when they face France in their final Group B game at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup on Monday (today), having already crashed out of the competition after two defeats.
The Nigerian women suffered a 99-81 defeat to South Korea in their opening game before losing 71-67 to Hungary on Saturday, ending their hopes of progressing from the group.
The clash with France will therefore be an opportunity for D’Tigress to bow out of the tournament on a positive note after a disappointing start.
However, their campaign has also raised questions about the team’s preparation, particularly the involvement of head coach Rena Wakama in the build-up to the tournament.
In an interview ahead of the World Cup, Wakama revealed that she only learnt a few days before leaving the United States that she would be travelling to Berlin for the tournament, after spending part of the period with WNBA side Chicago Sky.
