Nigeria’s D’Tigress will battle France in their final Group B game at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup on Monday, with their campaign already over following two consecutive defeats.
The reigning African champions suffered a 99-81 loss to South Korea in their opening game before falling 71-67 to Hungary on Saturday, results that ended their hopes of advancing to the next round.
With qualification no longer at stake, D’Tigress will be aiming to salvage pride and finish the tournament on a positive note against a strong French side.
However, the team’s disappointing start has also raised questions over their preparation for the competition, particularly the limited involvement of head coach Rena Wakama in the buildup.
Wakama revealed ahead of the tournament that she only learnt a few days before leaving the United States that she would travel to Berlin for the World Cup after spending part of the period with WNBA side Chicago Sky.
Her late arrival meant she joined the Nigerian team just four days before their opening game, after the squad had already completed significant portions of its preparations in the United States, China and Spain.
Her absence also extended beyond the final stages of the buildup. In April, the Nigeria Basketball Federation announced that Wakama would miss D’Tigress’ United States tour due to her Chicago Sky commitments.
Assistant coach Wani Muganguzi subsequently took charge of the team during the tour, overseeing friendly games against WNBA sides Los Angeles Sparks and Minnesota Lynx.
D’Tigress lost 89-63 to the Sparks before suffering an 88-79 defeat to the Lynx, with Muganguzi in charge of both matches.
The team continued its preparations in China and Spain before arriving in Berlin, with Wakama remaining committed to her WNBA duties for much of the buildup.
The issue has come under renewed scrutiny following the team’s poor World Cup start, with questions also raised about the composition and age profile of the squad.
After the defeat to South Korea, Wakama acknowledged the challenge posed by a more cohesive opponent, noting that the Korean team had played together and were clear about their approach.
Against France, D’Tigress will hope to put their previous results behind them, deliver a strong performance and end their World Cup campaign with a victory.
