By Victor Kanayo
Portugal has stopped Nigeria from proceeding to the knockout stage of the ongoing 2025 FIBA U-19 Women’s World Cup, holding in Brno, Czech Republic.
The Nigerian girls suffered from free-scoring ladies from Lisbon, who sealed the win with an 18-point margin.
The Nigerian team, also known as Junior Tigress, had succumbed to world number 3 Canada in a 113-42 blowout on match day 2 in a tough Group B.
It wasn’t all gloom for Africa’s sole representative at the event after the absence of continental champions, Mali.
Ranked 16th among countries of the same number, Nigeria’s J’Tigress experienced the perfect start to their campaign, taking down 7th seed China, 93-88.
Chinese Weeping Dog
The Chinese, who have struggled without their superstar baller Zhang Ziyu, who has been promoted to FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2025, became the whipping-baby of the group, with three straight losses.
China, looking lost without Zhang Ziyu, has made for tough viewing. It’s hard not to feel their pain. It’s such a struggle right now for the East Asians as they adjust to being without last year’s FIBA U-18 Women’s Asia Cup MVP.
Their towering colossus was the heartbeat of their team last year, and without her, they’re flat-lining. Losses to first-timers Nigeria, Portugal and Canada have hit hard.
Classification Wait
Nigeria will now wait for the results of Group C and D, to determine their classification match.
Nigeria were led by Nora Ezike in a dream debut for her country as they beat China. Portugal had the super Clara Silva to thank as they swept past China too, bouncing back from their first-day humbling by Canada.
