By Amaechi Agbo
Nigeria opened their campaign at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament with an emphatic statement on Tuesday in France, crushing Colombia Women’s National Basketball Team 70–37 at the Astroballe, in Villeurbanne.
But beyond the lopsided scoreline, the victory showcased the growing influence of head coach Rena Wakama and the leadership of floor general Ezinne Kalu, as Nigeria turned a shaky start into a commanding display.
Nigeria struggled for rhythm early and briefly trailed in the second quarter before regrouping in the locker room.
What followed was a ruthless response. The D’Tigress stormed out for the second half with a suffocating defensive effort and a devastating 16–0 run that flipped a one-point edge into a comfortable double-digit lead.
Coach Rena Wakama later revealed the turning point came during a frank halftime talk.
“I was just honest with my team,” Wakama said. “We have built a level of trust now. I trusted them, I wasn’t worried at all. It was a good check and we needed it.”
Her message worked instantly as Nigeria tightened defensively and dominated both ends of the floor, holding Colombia to just 37 points.
“I just told them it was a good check and we needed it. Credit to Columbia they are a great team they played physical, they played hard but I’m also proud of my girls for staying resilient and getting it done.” The coach stated.
Kalu, the team’s experienced playmaker, admitted the opening stages were rusty after the squad’s first reunion since the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket win in August last year.
“It felt really fun to be back together again,” Kalu said. “It was a little shaky at first because we weren’t really playing Nigerian basketball, but after the coach’s speech we came out in the second half ready to play.”
Nigeria’s depth proved decisive, with the bench contributing 39 points in a performance Wakama described as the embodiment of the team’s selfless philosophy
“Yes, there is strength in numbers, we had 39 bench points today. Alright 39, that’s great, that’s more than half of the points. So my message to the team was hey we need everybody.”
“So we play selfless basketball, it can be anybody’s night. Alright so we move the ball around, we have good spacing, we are intentional with what we are trying to do, we will be fine.”
With the opener secured, attention now shifts to a crucial clash against South Korea Women’s National Basketball Team, a side known for quick ball movement and sharp perimeter shooting.
Kalu expects a far tougher test.
“We’ve watched some films and we know it won’t be an easy game,” she said.
“The plan is to rely on our coaches, keep studying them and prepare well.”
For Wakama, the formula remains simple, aggression with discipline.
“We rely on our athleticism but we still have to be disciplined,” she said. “It’s about communication, rotations and attention to detail.”
Guard Ifunanya Okoro led Nigeria with a well-rounded performance, finishing with 10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals in 28:01, and posting a +29 efficiency during Nigeria’s most dominant stretches.
Forward Nicole Enabosi anchored the glass and ball movement, recording a double-double of 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists in under 24 minutes.
Off the bench, Victoria Macaulay provided a scoring spark, knocking down 5-of-6 from the field for 13 points and grabbing 6 rebounds in just over 14 minutes, fueling Nigeria’s extended runs.
On the other hand, Mabel Martinez led Colombia with 6 points in 24:28, helping to keep the game close in the first half.
After a dominant opening statement, Nigeria will hope that the same balance carries them past South Korea as the race for FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualification intensifies.
Nigeria is already through to the World Cup finals in Germany in September but they are using this qualifying tournament as a dress rehearsal to test out some possible combinations and team tactics ahead of the global spectacle on court.
“Well I think both, everybody felt it today, most of us haven’t been with each other since August but I think individually everybody knows their job.” Kalu added
“And as a team, the goal is to come in and play hard in our next game, really set the tone from the beginning of the game and try to push through till the fourth quarter.”
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