Nigeria’s Junior D’Tigress shocked the basketball world with a hard-fought 93–88 victory over China in their opening game of the 2025 FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup in Brno, Czech Republic, on Saturday.
Nora Ezike emerged as Nigeria’s hero, pouring in all 25 of her points in the second half to power the tournament debutants to their first-ever win at this level. She finished a perfect 8-of-8 from the field and 9-of-11 (81.8%) from the free-throw line.
China started strong, taking the first quarter 24–16 as Nigeria struggled with early foul trouble. The Junior D’Tigress settled into the game in the second quarter, matching China’s intensity and winning the frame 22–20. Despite this surge, China still held a 44–38 lead at halftime.
Nigeria’s struggles from long range were evident early, converting just 1-of-16 (6.7%) three-point attempts before the break. However, a buzzer-beating three-pointer at the end of the half sparked a turnaround.
More Read
After halftime, Nigeria shifted into high gear, outscoring China 23–16 in the third quarter and 32–28 in the final frame to seal a memorable comeback. They dramatically improved their three-point shooting in the second half, hitting 5-of-6 from beyond the arc.
In addition to Ezike’s heroics, three other Nigerians finished in double figures. Point guard Idubamo Beg posted 18 points, five assists, and four rebounds; Tobena Nwike added 15 points and four rebounds; while Jessica Ajayi contributed 10 points. Francisca Chukwueze anchored the defense with a team-high 10 rebounds.
For China, Kejia Ran delivered a game-high double-double of 28 points and 12 rebounds, while Yuqian Li added 25 points and Peilin Xu chipped in 10 points.
Next up for the Junior D’Tigress is a showdown with Canada, who cruised to an 88–49 win over Portugal in their own Group B opener. The game tips off on Sunday at 10:45 a.m. Nigerian time.
© Bold Sports Media. All rights reserved. If sharing, kindly credit Bold Sports as the source and include a link to the original post. Unauthorised use is prohibited.
