Wakama Calls for Better Starts as D’Tigress Continue to Find Their Rhythm

D’Tigress head coach Rena Wakama has called for improved starts from her team as Nigeria continue to find their rhythm at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin.

Wakama’s comments came after Nigeria’s first two games of the tournament, with the coach acknowledging that the team has yet to consistently begin games at the level she expects.

“My challenge for the team is to start the game like it is everything. Our starts haven’t been that great,” Wakama said.

The Nigerian coach, however, pointed to progress in another important area: ball security.

After Nigeria struggled with turnovers in their opening game against South Korea, Wakama challenged the team to improve their decision-making and execution. D’Tigress responded by committing just 11 turnovers in their next game.

“I challenged them last night about the turnovers and today we only had 11,” she said.

For Wakama, the improvement is a sign that the team is gradually moving in the right direction despite not yet reaching their best level.

“We are getting better, it is just finding our rhythm and finding our flow,” she added.

Nigeria’s opening game against South Korea ended in a 99-81 defeat, with turnovers proving costly as D’Tigress committed 23 compared to South Korea’s 10.

Wakama will now look for further improvement as Nigeria continues their Group B campaign, with France next on the schedule.