When veteran forward Sarah Ogoke dropped a trey from downtown, it took Nigeria to 101 pts, helping D’tigress complete a turnaround after staring defeat in the face against the Philippines after two quarters at the FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
D’tigress went on a second-half rampage, overturning a double-digit deficit to defeat the Philippines 101-84 in Group A action at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament in France on March 14, 2026, at Astroballe in Villeurbanne.
This is the first time D’Tigress have recorded 100+ points in a game since Afrobasket 2019.
Turning Point
Nigeria took control after the break, navigating 12 lead changes, trading blows through three quarters before pulling away in the final period to secure a convincing victory.
The Philippines won the first two quarters, starting with a significant 7-0 burst late in the first quarter, flipping a 21-19 deficit into a 26-21 lead, with Kacey Dela Rosa contributing 5 points.
Nigeria’s biggest run came in the final quarter, a 9-0 surge from 6:19 to 3:56, turning an 81-80 lead into a 90-80 advantage. Balogun scored 5 points on perfect shooting during this stretch, helping Nigeria put the game to bed.
D’Tigress Complete Turnaround: Game Leaders
Once again, center Victoria Macaulay anchored Nigeria’s turnaround, finishing with 16 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks in just over 21 minutes.
Forward Murjanatu Musa nearly posted a triple-double, contributing 10 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists to lead Nigeria to a win and earning the MVP of the game.
Nicole Enabosi added 15 points and 12 rebounds, including a 9-point burst in under three minutes of the opening quarter.
The resurgence hit the full circle moment with the last point from Sarah Ogoke, and that result gave D’Tigress coach, Rena Wakama, a chance to look back and evaluate.
“We had a slow start in our first game and ended up coming out at halftime; we had time responding. It’s just another lesson for us. A little bit of growing pains. But it takes a lot of resilience, a lot of poise, trying to come back in the way we did.”
Nigeria now has a 2-1 record at the FIBA World Cup qualifiers with a big game against France coming next, and they can’t afford a slow start.
