D'Tigress Turn Focus to Spain After 88-77 Victory Over China

Posted : 14 August 2026

Nigeria's D'Tigress have shifted their attention to Spain after ending their three-game exhibition series in China with an impressive 88-77 victory over the hosts in Foshan. The reigning African champions had lost the first two meetings 70-67 and 69-65 before responding with a convincing win in the final game.

Elizabeth Balogun led Nigeria's scoring with 26 points, while Grace Efosa contributed 19 points. The performance gave head coach Rena Wakama valuable evidence of her team's attacking potential against strong international opposition.

D'Tigress made a fast start and established control early in the contest. Nigeria raced into a 32-17 lead after the opening quarter and extended the advantage to 58-29 by half-time. China improved after the break, but Nigeria maintained enough control to enter the final quarter with a 71-52 lead before completing the 11-point victory.

The China assignment was another important stage in Nigeria's preparations for the World Cup. The team had earlier faced WNBA opposition in the United States, giving Wakama opportunities to assess her squad against different styles and levels of competition.

The victory also provides a positive response after the two narrow losses in China. More importantly, the three-game series allowed the coaching staff to test rotations, defensive organisation and offensive combinations before the final phase of preparations.

Nigeria will now travel to Tenerife for another demanding set of preparation games. Spain are scheduled to host a triangular tournament involving D'Tigress and Belgium from August 21 to 23, giving Wakama another opportunity to sharpen her squad before the World Cup.

The 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup will take place in Berlin from September 4 to 13. Nigeria are drawn in Group B alongside France, Hungary and Korea, with their opening game against Korea on September 4, followed by Hungary on September 5 and France on September 7.

The group presents a major test for the African champions. Nigeria already faced Korea and France during the March World Cup qualifying tournament, where they secured their place at the global event.

D'Tigress qualified as the 2025 FIBA Women's AfroBasket champions and will enter Berlin as one of Africa's representatives. The expanded 16-team World Cup gives Nigeria another opportunity to build on its recent success on the continental stage.

D'Tigress Turn Focus to Spain After 88-77 Victory Over China

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