Nigeria Tops Philippines 101-84 in FIBA Qualifying Match

Nigeria staged a remarkable comeback to defeat the Philippines 101–84 in a Group A game of the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament held in Villeurbanne, France, on Saturday, after overturning a double-digit halftime deficit.

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The Philippines dominated the proceedings for more than 22 minutes and managed to build a 10-point cushion in the first half, but their lead was short-lived.

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Nigeria responded strongly after the break, and by midway into the third quarter, they had wiped out a five-point deficit with a 17–12 run, tying the score at 67–67 courtesy of a turnaround jumper by Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah.

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Guards Ifunanya Okoro and Elizabeth Balogun played a crucial role in the run, scoring nine points, while Promise Amukamara contributed four rebounds and two points to steady the team.

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Although three-pointers from Janine Pontejos and Louna Ozar briefly kept the Philippines competitive, Nigeria's inside scoring helped them take a 70–67 lead into the fourth quarter.

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Centre Victoria Macaulay was instrumental in Nigeria's comeback, powering the team with 16 points, six rebounds, five assists, and two blocks in just over 21 minutes of play.

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Murjanatu Musa also made significant contributions, recording 10 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists, while Nicole Enabosi added 15 points and 12 rebounds after an early scoring burst.

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Janine Pontejos led the Philippines with 16 points, including an eight-point surge late in the second quarter that kept her side in contention.

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Nigeria's decisive moment came with a 9–0 run in the final quarter, stretching an 81–80 lead to 90–80 and effectively sealing the contest, with Balogun scoring five points during the run with perfect shooting.

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The Philippines had earlier enjoyed a 7–0 run late in the first quarter, turning a 21–19 deficit into a 26–21 lead, courtesy of Kacey Dela Rosa's five points.

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The match featured 12 lead changes from early in the first quarter until midway in the third, when Nigeria seized the lead permanently, with their biggest lead reaching 17 points in the closing seconds at 101–84.

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The Philippines' largest advantage was 10 points in the second quarter, while Nigeria led for 15 minutes and eight seconds overall, and the Philippines held the advantage for 22 minutes and one second.

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The score was tied for two minutes and 51 seconds, and Nigeria's most effective lineup of Ezinne Kalu, Amukamara, Macaulay, Balogun, and Musa played nearly 16 minutes together, posting a plus-12 performance.

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The victory highlighted Nigeria's resilience and depth, as strong rebounding and balanced scoring helped secure a convincing second-half comeback in the tournament.