馃嚦馃嚞NigeriaWest Africa
D'Tigress to play Los Angeles Sparks in historic WNBA pre-season game
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
Nigeria's women's basketball team, D'Tigress, is set to play the Los Angeles Sparks in a pre-season fixture today, marking the first game of their three-game United States tour. This event is historic as Nigeria becomes the first African national team and only the fourth international team to face a WNBA side. The game, scheduled for 8:00 pm Nigerian time at Viejas Arena in San Diego, is part of D'Tigress's preparations for the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup. The team features a youthful squad with 15 players from United States college programs, including Maryland guard Oluchi Okananwa and Stephanie Okechukwu, the tallest player in NCAA women鈥檚 basketball history. Despite the young talent, the team maintains an experienced core with players like Ezinne Kalu and Promise Amukamara. Assistant coach Wani Muganguzi will lead the team during the tour due to head coach Rena Wakama's WNBA commitments. Wakama emphasized the importance of competing against WNBA talent for the team's growth and development. The Los Angeles Sparks, with a reshaped roster including Ariel Atkins and Nneka Ogwumike, will also use the game to test their team. This tour is crucial for D'Tigress to test their systems and cohesion under pressure, ahead of the World Cup in Berlin where they are in Group B with France, South Korea, and Hungary.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
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