The 34-year-old has established herself as one of the leading young coaches in African basketball since taking charge of D’Tigress in 2023.

Wakama made an immediate impact by guiding Nigeria to the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket title in her first major tournament as head coach.

She then led D’Tigress to a historic quarter-final appearance at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Nigeria became the first African team, men or women, to reach the last eight of an Olympic basketball tournament after defeating Australia in the group stage and beating Canada 79-70 in the quarter-final race.

Wakama’s achievement in Paris also earned her the Best Coach award at the Olympics.

Her rise has been particularly notable given her transition from playing for D’Tigress to coaching the national team.

Two years after taking charge, Wakama will now lead Nigeria onto another major global stage at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.

Nigeria secured its place at the tournament after retaining the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket title in 2025.

D’Tigress have been drawn in Group B alongside France, Hungary and South Korea.

The tournament presents Wakama with another opportunity to test her team against some of the strongest sides in world basketball.

Nigeria’s best World Cup finish came in 2018, when D’Tigress reached the quarter-finals and finished eighth.

Wakama will now look to match or improve on that performance in Berlin.

Her appointment marks another significant stage in a coaching journey that began after her playing career with D’Tigress.

She has already guided Nigeria to continental success and an unprecedented Olympic quarter-final.

The World Cup will provide her next opportunity to extend that progress on the biggest stage in women’s basketball.

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According to a statement by Maxwell Kumoye of the Nigeria Basketball Network (NBN), Ahmedu urged D’Tigress to represent Nigeria with pride and determination as they begin their latest quest for global success.

Ahmedu, a member of the FIBA Africa executive committee and a board member of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), called on the players to draw inspiration from the fighting spirit that has established D’Tigress as the dominant force in African women’s basketball.

Nigeria are the reigning African champions after winning the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, their seventh continental title.

D’Tigress have also established themselves as a force on the global stage, reaching the quarter-finals of the 2018 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Tenerife, Spain.

They defeated Turkey and Greece during that campaign before losing to eventual champions, the United States.

Nigeria then reached the quarter-finals of the women’s basketball tournament at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, another landmark achievement for the team.

Udoka and Amachree have also sent messages of support to the squad ahead of the World Cup.

The former D’Tigress players were members of Nigeria’s African Championship-winning teams in 2003 and 2005 before later contributing to the rebuilding of the national team that reclaimed continental supremacy in 2017.

Udoka served as general manager while Amachree was player development manager during D’Tigress’ 2017 AfroBasket-winning campaign under coach Sam Vincent.

Otis Hughley Jr. subsequently led the team at the 2018 World Cup, 2019 AfroBasket and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, before Rena Wakama took charge in 2023.

Wakama has since guided D’Tigress to further success, including their latest African title in 2025.

The current squad also boasts considerable international experience, with Ezinne Kalu and Promise Amukamara among the players who have been part of the national set-up since the 2016 Olympic qualifying tournament in Nantes.

Amy Okonkwo, Elizabeth Balogun, Victoria Macaulay and Murjanatu Musa are also part of the group heading into the World Cup.

Ahmedu, Udoka and Amachree have now urged the players to embrace the occasion, build on the achievements of previous generations and continue to make Nigeria and Africa proud at the global tournament.

The post Ahmedu, Amachree, Udoka rally D’Tigress ahead of 2026 World Cup appeared first on Made In Africa Sport.

At the centre of the turnaround was Caleb Agada, who delivered an outstanding individual display. Agada finished with 26 points and six assists, knocking down eight three-pointers from 11 attempts. His shooting opened up the floor and gave Nigeria the attacking spark they had been missing.

Nigeria also got valuable contributions from Josh Okogie, who finished with 15 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds. Ike Nwamu added 14 points, while Efe Obogidi contributed 11, as D’Tigers finally found the offensive rhythm that had eluded them earlier in the window.

The victory takes Nigeria to 5–4, with three qualifying games still to play. That leaves the World Cup qualification race very much alive, but the next window will be decisive. Nigeria cannot afford to rely on another single outstanding performance; they need to carry this confidence into the remaining games and produce consistently.

The biggest positive from the Cape Verde victory is the way D’Tigers responded under pressure. They showed that when the shots are falling, the ball is moving and the players are confident, they can cause serious problems for opponents. The challenge now is to make this performance the start of a turnaround, rather than simply a memorable night.

With three games remaining, Nigeria still has a chance to fight its way back into contention for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup. The next window will demand greater consistency, stronger defence and another big contribution from Agada and the team’s key players.

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The defeat came at a disappointing time for Nigeria, who entered the fourth qualifying window in strong form after recording three consecutive victories in the previous round. D’Tigers also carried a 4–2 record into the second phase, while Cameroon began the round as Group E leaders with a 5–1 record.

Nigeria struggled offensively from the opening minutes as Cameroon established an early advantage. The Indomitable Lions took the first quarter 23–14, leaving D’Tigers with an early nine-point deficit.

The Nigerians showed some improvement in the second quarter, matching Cameroon 18–18, but were unable to significantly reduce the gap before halftime. Cameroon therefore went into the break with a 41–32 lead.

D’Tigers needed a strong response after the interval but struggled to generate the momentum required to turn the contest around. Cameroon edged the third quarter 19–16 before closing out the game with an 18–14 advantage in the final period.

Nigeria’s shooting efficiency ultimately proved costly. D’Tigers converted only 24 of their 72 field-goal attempts, representing 33.3 per cent, while their three-point shooting was even more disappointing at 17.8 per cent.

Cameroon were considerably more efficient from the field, making 40 of 80 attempts for 50 per cent. They also shot 27.6 per cent from three-point range and 74.1 per cent from the free-throw line, compared with Nigeria’s 66.7 per cent.

Efe Abogidi was Nigeria’s leading performer statistically, recording an efficiency rating of 14, but his contribution was not enough to prevent D’Tigers from suffering their first defeat of the second round.

For Cameroon, Yves Missi delivered the standout individual performance, finishing the game with an efficiency rating of 30 as the Indomitable Lions maintained their strong position in Group E.

The defeat leaves Nigeria with little room for complacency in a group where the results from the first qualifying round carry over into the second phase.

Under FIBA’s qualification format, the top two teams from each second-round group, alongside the best third-placed team, will secure places at the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Qatar.

D’Tigers will have an immediate opportunity to respond when they face South Sudan on Friday, August 28, in their next Group E encounter at the Salle Multidisciplinaire de Radès.

The meeting presents another difficult challenge for Nigeria, with South Sudan regarded as one of the strongest basketball nations on the continent. However, D’Tigers will take confidence from their previous meetings with the Bright Stars, having won both of their earlier encounters.

Nigeria must now quickly put the Cameroon defeat behind them and produce a significantly improved offensive performance against South Sudan. Greater efficiency in front of the basket, better ball movement and a stronger defensive response will be crucial if D’Tigers are to get their qualification campaign back on track.

The road to Qatar is still open, but the defeat to Cameroon has increased the pressure on Nigeria ahead of the remainder of the qualifying window.

For D’Tigers, the response starts against South Sudan.

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The defeat marks Nigeria’s second consecutive loss to Mali in the championship game.

Mali’s latest victory also secured a second three-peat at the tournament, further underlining their dominance of the U18 Women’s AfroBasket.

Nigeria began the tournament with a 54-50 victory over Tunisia.

They suffered their first setback in the following game, losing 75-74 to Cameroon in a closely contested encounter.

The Junior D’Tigress recovered in their final group-phase match with a commanding 70-40 win over Senegal.

That result sent Nigeria into the knockout stages with renewed confidence.

Cameroon stood in their way again in the quarter-finals, but the outcome was very different from their group meeting.

Nigeria produced one of their best performances of the tournament to beat Cameroon 75-45 and avenge their earlier defeat.

The semi-final presented another difficult challenge against hosts Côte d’Ivoire.

Nigeria held their nerve in another tight contest, edging the hosts 53-50 to book their place in the final.

Mali then ended Nigeria’s title hopes with a 77-68 victory in the championship game.

The Junior D’Tigress remained competitive but could not produce the consistency required to overturn Mali’s advantage during the decisive stages.

The result leaves Nigeria with another silver medal after a campaign in which they recovered impressively from their early defeat by Cameroon.

Their quarter-final response was particularly significant, with the 30-point victory showing the team’s ability to learn from setbacks and raise their level when it mattered.

The narrow win over Côte d’Ivoire also demonstrated Nigeria’s composure in a high-pressure knockout match.

Mali, however, once again proved to be the benchmark in the competition.

Their latest triumph completed their second three-peat and extended a remarkable period of dominance that remains unmatched in the history of the U18 Women’s AfroBasket.

Nigeria’s run to the final was nevertheless enough to secure qualification for the 2027 FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup in China.

The global tournament will give the players another opportunity to test themselves against the strongest teams in their age group.

The experience gained in Abidjan should also provide valuable preparation as this group continues its progression through the national-team system.

Nigeria will now have to build on the positives from the tournament while addressing the gap exposed by another defeat to Mali.

The Junior D’Tigress have shown that they can compete deep into the tournament, but converting that progress into gold remains the next challenge.

The post Junior D’Tigress fall short again as Mali retain U18 Women’s AfroBasket title appeared first on Made In Africa Sport.

The defeat marks Nigeria’s second consecutive loss to Mali in the championship game.

Mali’s latest victory also secured a second three-peat at the tournament, further underlining their dominance of the U18 Women’s AfroBasket.

Nigeria began the tournament with a 54-50 victory over Tunisia.

They suffered their first setback in the following game, losing 75-74 to Cameroon in a closely contested encounter.

The Junior D’Tigress recovered in their final group-phase match with a commanding 70-40 win over Senegal.

That result sent Nigeria into the knockout stages with renewed confidence.

Cameroon stood in their way again in the quarter-finals, but the outcome was very different from their group meeting.

Nigeria produced one of their best performances of the tournament to beat Cameroon 75-45 and avenge their earlier defeat.

The semi-final presented another difficult challenge against hosts Côte d’Ivoire.

Nigeria held their nerve in another tight contest, edging the hosts 53-50 to book their place in the final.

Mali then ended Nigeria’s title hopes with a 77-68 victory in the championship game.

The Junior D’Tigress remained competitive but could not produce the consistency required to overturn Mali’s advantage during the decisive stages.

The result leaves Nigeria with another silver medal after a campaign in which they recovered impressively from their early defeat by Cameroon.

Their quarter-final response was particularly significant, with the 30-point victory showing the team’s ability to learn from setbacks and raise their level when it mattered.

The narrow win over Côte d’Ivoire also demonstrated Nigeria’s composure in a high-pressure knockout match.

Mali, however, once again proved to be the benchmark in the competition.

Their latest triumph completed their second three-peat and extended a remarkable period of dominance that remains unmatched in the history of the U18 Women’s AfroBasket.

Nigeria’s run to the final was nevertheless enough to secure qualification for the 2027 FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup in China.

The global tournament will give the players another opportunity to test themselves against the strongest teams in their age group.

The experience gained in Abidjan should also provide valuable preparation as this group continues its progression through the national-team system.

Nigeria will now have to build on the positives from the tournament while addressing the gap exposed by another defeat to Mali.

The Junior D’Tigress have shown that they can compete deep into the tournament, but converting that progress into gold remains the next challenge.

The post Junior D’Tigress fall short again as Mali retain U18 Women’s AfroBasket title appeared first on Made In Africa Sport.

Nigeria’s D’Tigress have arrived in Berlin ahead of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, where the reigning African champions will begin their campaign against South Korea.

The Nigerian team received a warm welcome from Ambassador Ita Enang, officials of the Nigerian Embassy and members of the Nigerian community in Berlin upon their arrival in the German capital.

The welcome provided a home-away-from-home moment for D’Tigress as they prepare for another major international challenge.

Nigeria will compete in Group B alongside South Korea, Hungary and France, with the four teams battling for places in the knockout stage of the tournament.

D’Tigress will open their World Cup campaign against South Korea before facing Hungary and France in their remaining group matches.

The Nigerian side arrives in Berlin as the reigning FIBA Women’s AfroBasket champions, having continued its dominance of African women’s basketball.

D’Tigress retained their continental crown after defeating Mali 78-64 in the final of the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

The victory extended Nigeria’s remarkable run on the continent and secured another opportunity for the team to compete against the world’s best.

Nigeria has also enjoyed memorable moments at previous editions of the Women’s Basketball World Cup.

D’Tigress reached the quarter-finals of the 2018 tournament in Tenerife, Spain, recording Nigeria’s best-ever finish at the global competition.

The 2026 tournament now presents the African champions with another opportunity to go further and make history on the world stage.

However, the road will not be straightforward.

France represents the highest-ranked opponent in Nigeria’s group and will provide a major test for D’Tigress, while South Korea and Hungary will also pose different challenges during the group phase.

Nigeria’s recent continental success has raised expectations around the team, but the World Cup will demand another level of performance from the African champions.

For D’Tigress, the focus will be on converting their dominance in Africa into results against some of the strongest basketball nations in the world.

The support from the Nigerian community in Berlin could also provide an important boost as the team begins its campaign.

With the Nigerian flag flying in Berlin and the African champions ready for action, D’Tigress will look to make their presence felt when the World Cup gets underway.

Nigeria’s opening game against South Korea will set the tone for the group campaign, with Hungary and France waiting in the remaining fixtures.

For the reigning African champions, the mission is clear: compete, advance and give Nigeria another reason to believe on the global basketball stage.

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The National Sports Commission (NSC) announced a four-man squad comprising Marcel Esonwune, Sean Ikechukwu Nwamu, Esosa Okundaye and Robert Ukawuba for the tournament, which will be held at Glasgow’s Scottish Event Campus.

The quartet will become the first Nigerian players to compete in 3×3 basketball at the Commonwealth Games after the country missed the sport’s debut at Birmingham 2022.

Nigeria secured qualification in February when Commonwealth Sport confirmed the nations that would contest the expanded men’s competition.

Former Tokyo Olympian Ike Nwamu is expected to provide leadership and experience for the team. The 6ft 5in guard has represented Nigeria at the Olympic Games, played in the NBA G League and several European leagues, and most recently featured for D’Tigers at the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket.

The Glasgow Games will mark his Commonwealth Games debut.

Nigeria will compete against Australia, the Cayman Islands, Fiji, Guyana, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Scotland and Singapore, with one further European nation completing the 12-team field.

Glasgow 2026 will be the second Commonwealth Games to feature 3×3 basketball after the format made its debut at Birmingham 2022.

The competition has been expanded from eight to 12 teams in both the men’s and women’s events following the sport’s growing popularity across the Commonwealth.

FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis welcomed the increase in participating teams, describing it as recognition of the success of the sport’s Commonwealth Games debut.

“We are delighted that 3×3’s quota has been increased for Glasgow 2026,” Zagklis said.

“The decision is a testament to the great debut success of 3×3 at Birmingham 2022 and the growing popularity of 3×3 in Commonwealth nations and around the world.”

Played on a half court with one basket, 3×3 basketball features teams of three players and a 12-second shot clock.

Games last a maximum of 10 minutes, although matches end immediately if either team reaches 21 points, making it one of the fastest-paced events on the Commonwealth Games programme.

The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will take place from 23 July to 2 August, with around 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories expected to compete across 10 sports.

The post Glasgow 2026: Nigeria unveil historic basketball squad for Commonwealth Games debut appeared first on Made In Africa Sport.

Under the plan being explored, the new league would be integrated into the current European basketball landscape, with teams also participating in their respective national leagues. In addition to permanent teams, the league would offer clubs a merit-based pathway to qualification through the European basketball ecosystem.

As part of a new league, the NBA and FIBA would also plan to dedicate financial support and resources to the continued development of Europe’s basketball ecosystem, including club team academies and the NBA and FIBA’s existing programs to develop aspiring players, coaches and referees at all levels of the game.

The announcement was made by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis following the NBA Board of Governors meeting in New York and the FIBA Executive Committee meeting earlier this month in Mies, Switzerland.

“The European basketball community is proud of its seven-decade history of international club competitions and the elite talent it develops,” said Zagklis.

“Yet given the sport’s popularity and the success of national team competitions, there is untapped potential in European club basketball. A new league in Europe would combine the NBA’s business acumen with the international expertise of FIBA to attract new basketball fans and investors alike, maximize club benefits, and establish synergies for the benefit of all stakeholders.”

“The NBA and FIBA are uniquely positioned to build on the rich tradition of European basketball,” said Silver. “We look forward to collaborating with FIBA to explore the creation of a new league for fans across the continent.”

The NBA and FIBA will provide additional updates at a later date.

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The competition will now feature 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams, a 50 per cent increase from the eight-team format used at the previous Games.

The expansion of quota places will create new opportunities for Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs) to compete in the Commonwealth Games and support the ongoing development of 3×3 around the world. At Birmingham 2022, 12 CGAs took part in the Commonwealth Games and this will look to be increased in 2026.

FIBA Secretary General, Andreas Zagklis, said: “We are delighted that 3×3’s quota has been increased for Glasgow 2026 and grateful to the CGF for their ongoing support of our sport. The decision is a testament to the great debut success of 3×3 at Birmingham 2022 and the growing popularity of 3×3 in Commonwealth nations and around the world. We have no doubt that with more teams competing at Glasgow 2026 we will be able to build on the success of Birmingham to deliver a thrilling competition and powerful global legacy.”

200+ Gold medals
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The #Glasgow2026 Medal Event Programme has LANDED!

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Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation, Katie Sadleir CNZM, said “The 3×3 Basketball and 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball competitions were brilliant to watch at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games so we are pleased they are back! Their success means they are bigger than before with the 3×3 Basketball competitions for men and women extending from eight teams to 12 and the 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball for men and women going from six teams to eight, meaning more games to enjoy!”

Glasgow 2026 promises to be a truly immersive festival of sport and celebration of culture and diversity that inspires athletes and sports – with a spectator experience more accessible than ever before with fans brought closer to the sporting action.

Glasgow 2026 Organising Company CEO Phil Batty said, “What makes the Commonwealth Games so special to so many is its fully integrated sport program. The 3×3 Basketball and 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball competitions were a fantastic success in Birmingham 2022, loved by players and fans alike. It is brilliant that we have been able to further showcase this great sport, with more games to experience as the program goes from eight teams to 12. I’m confident that with action-packed programs across all four venues in the city, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Glasgow 2026 is set to be a world-class sporting celebration, filled with passion, fun, and outstanding sport!”

The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will take place on 23 July to 2 August. 3×3 will be among a 10-strong sports program with elite athletes from 74 nations and territories competing for glory.

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