Nigeria’s D’Tigress have been eliminated from the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin after two consecutive defeats left the African champions unable to progress from Group B.
Their elimination was confirmed after France defeated South Korea 95-69, a result that made it mathematically impossible for Nigeria to finish in a qualifying position.
Hungary defeat leaves Nigeria in trouble
D’Tigress had already been placed under heavy pressure after losing 71-67 to Hungary in a closely contested Group B encounter.
Nigeria created several scoring opportunities but struggled with efficiency, particularly from the free-throw line.
The team converted just 12 of 23 free throws, leaving crucial points behind in a game decided by only four points.
Rena Wakama identifies slow starts
Head coach Rena Wakama admitted that Nigeria’s slow starts had become a major problem during the tournament.
She noted that the team showed improvement from its opening game but struggled to maintain the required intensity for a full contest.
Rebounding also hurts D’Tigress
One positive was Nigeria’s improvement in ball security.
After committing close to 23 turnovers in their opening game, D’Tigress reduced that figure to 11 against Hungary.
However, captain Amy Okonkwo pointed to Hungary’s dominance in rebounding as one of the decisive factors in the loss.
Historic 2018 run will not be repeated
The early elimination means Nigeria will not repeat its memorable performance from the 2018 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, when D’Tigress reached the quarter-finals for the first time.
That remains the country’s best-ever finish at the competition.
France clash now about pride
D’Tigress will still face France in their final Group B game, although the result will no longer affect their qualification chances.
For Wakama and her players, the focus will now be on finishing the tournament strongly and leaving Berlin with a performance they can build on.
Nigeria look to finish on a positive note
Despite the disappointing exit, D’Tigress remain one of Africa’s strongest women’s basketball teams.
The challenge now is to respond to the setbacks, improve their offensive efficiency and rebounding, and use the final game against France as an opportunity to restore confidence.