Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, suffered a narrow 70-67 defeat to hosts China in the opening game of their FIBA-sanctioned exhibition series in Haikou on Friday.
The closely contested encounter saw the reigning African champions push the Chinese side throughout the game but ultimately fall just three points short in an encouraging performance ahead of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin.
D’Tigress remained competitive from start to finish, matching China for long spells before the hosts edged the contest in the closing moments to claim a 70-67 victory.
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The exhibition series forms part of Nigeria’s preparations for the global tournament, offering the team valuable experience against one of Asia’s strongest basketball nations.
Nigeria will have another opportunity to bounce back when both teams meet again in the second exhibition game on August 9, before concluding the three-game series on August 12.