D’Tigress head coach Rena Wakama has described Nigeria’s current situation as a rebuilding process following a difficult campaign at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. (aclsports.com)
The African champions struggled in Berlin, finishing the group stage without a win and exiting the tournament earlier than expected.
Wakama calls for patience
Wakama believes the team must be given time to develop, especially as new players are gradually integrated into the squad.
The coach stressed that building a competitive team requires patience, consistency and more opportunities for the players to develop together.
World Cup exposes areas for improvement
Nigeria’s performances highlighted several areas that still need work, including rebounding, ball control, defensive consistency and execution under pressure.
Wakama acknowledged that competing against the world’s best teams exposed weaknesses that must now be addressed.
D’Tigress struggled in Berlin
Nigeria suffered defeats to South Korea, Hungary and France during the group stage.
The tournament ended with a heavy loss to France, bringing an early end to a campaign that had started with high expectations.
Experience could help younger players
Despite the disappointing results, Wakama believes the World Cup experience can benefit the squad in the long term.
Playing against elite opposition gives younger players a clearer understanding of the standards required at the highest level.
Nigeria still building for the future
D’Tigress remain one of the dominant teams in African women’s basketball, but the coach wants the focus to move beyond immediate results.
The rebuilding process is aimed at creating a deeper and more consistent squad capable of competing strongly on both the continental and global stages.
Wakama remains focused on long-term growth
For Wakama, the priority is now to learn from the World Cup and continue developing the group.
Nigeria will need to improve technically and mentally, but the coach remains confident that the current transition can eventually produce a stronger D’Tigress team for future international competitions.