Nigeria women’s national basketball team staged a strong second-half comeback to defeat Philippines 101-84 in a Group A game at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Villeurbanne, France, on Saturday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The African champions overturned a double-digit first-half deficit at the Astroballe to secure a convincing victory after a contest that featured 12 lead changes and sustained pressure from both teams across the opening three quarters.

The Philippines controlled much of the first half and built a 10-point advantage in the second quarter, with instances at 35-25 and 37-27 highlighting their dominance during that period. They eventually spent more than 22 minutes in front during the game, compared to Nigeria’s 15 minutes, while the scores were level for just under three minutes.

Nigeria, however, gradually shifted the momentum after the break. Midway through the third quarter, the Africans erased a five-point deficit with a decisive 17-12 run, drawing level at 67-67 following a turnaround jump shot from forward Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah with just over three minutes remaining in the period.

Guards Ifunanya Okoro and Elizabeth Balogun combined for nine points during that spell, while Promise Amukamara added key rebounds as Nigeria seized the initiative and carried a narrow 70-67 lead into the final quarter.

The Philippines attempted to respond through outside shooting from Janine Pontejos and Louna Ozar, but Nigeria’s inside scoring proved decisive as the African champions steadily pulled away in the closing stages.

The defining sequence arrived in the fourth quarter when Nigeria produced a 9-0 run between the sixth and fourth minutes, turning a slender 81-80 lead into a commanding 90-80 advantage. Balogun scored five points during the stretch with perfect shooting, effectively putting the game beyond the reach of their opponents.

Center Victoria Macaulay played a key role in the turnaround, finishing with 16 points, six rebounds, five assists and two blocks in just over 21 minutes. Her overall influence was reflected in a plus-minus rating of +13 during the decisive second-half surge.

Forward Murjanatu Musa came close to a triple-double, recording 10 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, while Nicole Enabosi contributed 15 points and 12 rebounds, including a rapid nine-point burst in the opening quarter that kept Nigeria within reach early in the contest.

For the Philippines, Pontejos led all scorers for her team with 16 points, highlighted by an eight-point burst late in the second quarter that helped extend their first-half lead. Kacey Dela Rosa also contributed during a seven-point run late in the opening period, which briefly shifted the advantage to the Asian side.

Nigeria’s most effective combination on the court featured Ezinne Kalu, Amukamara, Macaulay, Balogun and Musa, a lineup that played nearly 16 minutes together and recorded a +12 differential during key phases of the game.

The victory represented a strong response from Nigeria after their eight-match competitive winning streak had been ended by the South Korea women’s national basketball team, who defeated them 77-60 in their previous outing barely 24 hours after they had opened the tournament with a dominant 70-37 win over the Colombia women’s national basketball team.

Although Nigeria have already secured qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup by winning the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket title, the qualifying tournament provides an opportunity for coach Rena Wakama to test the depth and tactical flexibility of her squad against strong international opposition.

Nigeria will next face hosts France in the final game of the day on Sunday as the five-game tournament, running from March 11 to 17, continues in Villeurbanne.