Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, suffered a 93–86 defeat to France in their game at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Villeurbanne on Sunday, as the hosts extended their unbeaten run in the competition.
The African champions matched the French side for long spells but were unable to recover from an early deficit, despite mounting a spirited fightback in the second half that at one stage reduced the margin to just two points.
Nigeria endured difficulties early in the contest, particularly from two-point range where they shot 44 per cent compared with France’s impressive 80 per cent efficiency.
The hosts capitalised on the disparity to race into a 27–15 lead at the end of the first quarter.
France continued their strong shooting display in the second quarter, converting nine of their first 13 attempts from three-point range an outstanding 69 per cent success rate that at one stage exceeded 80 per cent.
Their clinical finishing helped them carry a comfortable 57–45 advantage into halftime.
D’Tigress responded positively after the break, opening the third quarter with a 5–0 run to cut the deficit to 57–50 and prompt France coach Jean-Aimé Toupane to call a timeout.
The Nigerian side’s persistence paid off early in the final quarter when they narrowed the gap to 76–74, briefly raising hopes of a comeback.
However, France regained control following a crucial defensive interception by Pauline Astier, which led to Romane Bernies converting a fast-break opportunity to restore a five-point cushion at 79–74.
Despite their resilience, D’Tigress were unable to level the score or take the lead as France managed the closing stages effectively to seal a 93–86 victory, marking their fourth consecutive win in the qualifying tournament.
