By Irikefe Oghenetega Victor
Nigeria's Senior basketball women team D'Tigress fell to a narrow 93-86 defeat against host nation France in their fourth game of the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament at Astroballe in Lyon-Villeurbanne.
Despite the loss to the world No. 3 ranked side, the African champions showed resilience in the second half, outscoring France 41-36 after trailing significantly at halftime (57-45). They particularly dominated the third quarter (21-15), cutting the deficit to single digits before France held firm in the fourth (21-20).
The result marked D'Tigress' second defeat in four outings during the qualifiers, but it had no impact on their qualification status, they had already secured their spot in the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup in Berlin, Germany, courtesy of their strong continental performances, including winning the 2025 FIBA Women's AfroBasket.
The ongoing tournament in France serves primarily as high-level preparation for the World Cup finals, set for September 2026 in Berlin.
D'Tigress will conclude their group stage campaign with a final match against Germany on Tuesday, March 17, aiming to build momentum heading into the global showcase.
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