Former U18 D’Tigress coach Juliana Akhere has praised Nigeria’s Junior D’Tigress for securing qualification for the 2027 FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup, while calling for adequate preparation ahead of the global tournament.
Nigeria booked its place at the World Cup after defeating hosts Côte d’Ivoire 53–50 in a tense semi-final at the FIBA U18 Women’s AfroBasket in Abidjan.
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The result secured Nigeria a place at the 2027 FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup in China, with the Junior D’Tigress subsequently finishing the African championship with the silver medal.
Akhere described the team’s campaign as a positive outing but believes qualification should now be followed by a well-structured preparation programme.
She stressed the importance of giving the players enough time to train together, develop chemistry and understand the tactical demands of the World Cup.
“It was a good outing, but adequate preparation and enough time together will be important for the team going forward.”
The former U18 coach believes the transition from continental competition to the global stage will require a higher level of preparation, particularly because Nigeria will encounter teams with different playing styles and greater depth.
The Junior D’Tigress’ qualification continues Nigeria’s strong tradition in women’s youth basketball and provides another opportunity for the country to develop players capable of progressing into the senior D’Tigress setup.
Akhere’s emphasis on preparation also highlights the importance of maintaining the squad together for a sufficient period before the World Cup rather than relying solely on short training camps immediately before the tournament.
The team will now have to build on its African championship performance while the technical crew works on areas that need improvement.
Qualification has secured Nigeria’s place at the global tournament; the next challenge is ensuring the Junior D’Tigress arrive in China with the preparation, chemistry and experience required to compete at the highest level.
