D’ Tigress, Nigeria’s senior women basketball team, on Thursday, in Serbia lost 67-90 to China in their opening match at the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
The game played at the Ranko Žeravica Sports Hall, Belgrade, saw the more experienced Chinese take control of the game right from the first quarter.
In a highly entertaining end-to-end game, China took the first quarter 29-14, second quarter 25-22, and the third quarter 25-16.
The Otis Hughley tutored Nigerian girls rallied back in the fourth quarter like wounded tigers to take it 24-11, but it was too little too late.
D’ Tigress top performer Amy Okonkwo made 14 points while Pallas Akpanah finished with 12 points.
The team was without influential point guard, Ezinne Kalu, who was ruled out of the qualifiers because of injury, leaving the team with only one proven guard, Promise Amukamara.
Nigeria had been drawn in Group B with China, France and Mali.
The Nigerian girls will now hope to bounce back against another tough opponent, France, on Friday, as they seek qualification for the World Cup, scheduled for Australia in September.
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