Nigeria’s D’Tigress delivered a commanding performance on Wednesday, defeating Colombia 70–37 in a Group Phase game at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament in France. The match was played at Astroballe in Villeurbanne.
From the outset, Nigeria took control, maintaining a strong lead for more than 33 minutes thanks to a suffocating defense that limited Colombia to just 37 points.
The game’s turning point came late in the second quarter. Nigeria erased a three-point deficit to tie the game at 27–27, with forward Victoria Macaulay and guard Ifunanya Okoro hitting key baskets.
Colombia briefly reclaimed the lead, but a layup from Nicole Enabosi put Nigeria ahead 28–27. A follow-up basket and a crucial block from centre Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah sparked a decisive 16–0 run that stretched across halftime, giving Nigeria a comfortable double-digit advantage.
Okoro, Enabosi, Macaulay lead Nigeria
Guard Ifunanya Okoro led the charge with an all-around display, scoring 10 points while adding 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals in 28:01 minutes, finishing with a +29 plus/minus during Nigeria’s dominant stretches.
Forward Nicole Enabosi posted a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, adding 5 assists in under 24 minutes. Off the bench, Victoria Macaulay contributed 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting and 6 rebounds in just over 14 minutes.
For Colombia, Mabel Martinez led with 6 points in 24:28 minutes, helping her team remain competitive in the first half.
Key runs and statistics
Nigeria’s most decisive run came between the second and third quarters, a 16–0 stretch that turned a narrow 30–29 lead into a commanding 46–29 advantage in 5:45 minutes. Macaulay scored 7 points during that sequence.
Colombia’s best spell was a 7–0 run early in the second quarter, trimming a 22–14 deficit to 22–21 in just over a minute, with Yuliany Paz contributing 2 points and 1 rebound.
Nigeria’s largest lead was 34 points at 68–34 with 2:25 remaining in the fourth quarter. Colombia’s maximum advantage was three points, achieved twice — early in the first quarter (7–4) and in the second quarter (27–24).
