D’Tigress drawn in group of death for FIBA Women’s World Cup

Nigeria’s women basketball team D’Tigress have been drawn in Group B for the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup scheduled for 22nd September to 1st October 2022 in Sydney, Australia.

D’Tigress came through a qualifying group that contained Mali, France and China with two wins against Mali and France, and a defeat to China.

D’Tigress have been drawn against a number of big-hitters in Group B of the World Cup, with France, Canada, Japan, Serbia and Australia also in the group. The Nigeria women’s side are the lowest-ranked side in the group.

D’Tigress have qualified for the World Cup for only the third time ever, with their quarterfinals defeat in Spain in 2018 their best-ever result in the competition.

The top four sides from the group will proceed to the quarterfinals of the competition, with the bottom two sides dropping out of the competition. In the most recent power rankings, the Nigerian side were ranked 10th among the 12 sides competing, with only Russia and South Korea ranked lower.

Here is the draw in full:

Group A: Belgium, China, Bosnia and Herzegovina, USA, South Korea and Russia*

Group B: France, Serbia, Japan, Nigeria, Canada and Australia.

(*- A decision has yet to be taken on the participation of Russia in the competition)