D’Tigress Name 21-Player Squad For US Camp, WNBA Tour

Nigeria’s women’s national team, D’Tigress, have released a 21-player roster for a training camp and exhibition tour in the United States as preparations ramp up for a packed international schedule.

The camp opens in Los Angeles on April 18, where the squad will sharpen their tactics ahead of high-profile friendlies against WNBA opposition.

Experienced internationals Ezinne Kalu, Promise Amukamara and Victoria Macaulay headline a roster that blends established names with emerging prospects.

Also included are Shay Ijiwoye, Donanu Regina, Jerni Kiaku, Oluchi Okananwa, Gabby White, Nora Ezike, Vivian Iwuchukwu, Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah, Suzie Rafiu, Danielle Osho, Nicole Enabosi, Maryam Dauda, Rita Igbokwe, Stephanie Okechukwu, Uche Izoje, Vera Ojenuwa, Favour Nwaedoziri and Blessing Ejiofor.

The team will be without captain Amy Okonkwo, who is committed to a training camp contract with the Dallas Wings. Elizabeth Balogun and Murjanatu Musa are also unavailable because of club commitments.

One of the headline call-ups is Oluchi Okananwa, who recently pledged her international future to Nigeria and is set for her senior debut. Teen prospect Danielle Osho, 18, earns a place as she continues her collegiate rise, while towering Stephanie Okechukwu, the tallest player in NCAA women’s basketball history, adds a striking physical presence. Uche Izoje also steps up after a standout debut season.

The tour begins with a meeting against the Los Angeles Sparks on 25 April, followed by fixtures against the Minnesota Lynx on 27 April and the Indiana Fever on 2 May. The Lynx clash will be only the fourth time a WNBA franchise has faced an international side, highlighting the scale of the opportunity for the D’Tigress, who have previously tested themselves against elite opponents including the United States women’s national basketball team.

The trip forms part of preparations for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, set to take place in Berlin from 4 to 13 September. The draw will be held on 21 April at Kraftwerk Berlin.

Nigeria head into the build-up after a mixed run in the March qualifiers, beating Colombia and the Philippines but losing to South Korea, France and Germany. Their World Cup place had already been secured after lifting the Women’s AfroBasket, with the qualifiers serving as further preparation.