FIBA Women’s World Cup: How France Annihilated D’Tigress In 111-56 Rout

France produced a breathtaking display of dominance to annihilate Nigeria 111-56 in their final Group B game at the FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin on Monday, ending D’Tigress’ campaign with a devastating 55-point defeat.

From the opening seconds, France showed they were in complete control. They raced into a 31-13 lead after the first quarter, added another 34 points in the second to take a commanding 65-26 lead into halftime, and continued the destruction after the interval.

Nigeria never led, while France spent 39 minutes and six seconds ahead and stretched their advantage to a staggering 61 points.

The French onslaught was powered by Gabby Williams, who was virtually unstoppable. She scored 25 points in only 18 minutes and 17 seconds, shooting 8-of-12 from the field and an outstanding 6-of-8 from three-point range.

She also grabbed six rebounds and provided four assists as France repeatedly exposed Nigeria’s defensive weaknesses.

Williams, however, was only one part of a devastating French attack. Janelle Salaun added 19 points, Marine Johannes scored 17 with four assists and three steals, while Migna Toure contributed 16 points.

France shot an extraordinary 58 percent from the field and 55 percent from three-point range, compared with Nigeria’s 28 percent and 32 percent respectively.

France also delivered the knockout blow with a 12-0 run late in the opening quarter, turning a 16-10 advantage into a 28-10 lead in just two and a half minutes.

From there, the contest became an exhibition of French superiority as Nigeria struggled to score, protect possession or contain France’s perimeter shooting.

Nigeria’s Grace Efosa-Aguebor led the scoring for D’Tigress, but her contribution could not prevent France from running riot. Nigeria committed 23 turnovers, compared with France’s 13, while the French also converted 22 of 40 attempts from beyond the arc.

By the time the final quarter began, the contest had effectively been settled. France eventually eased off the accelerator, allowing Nigeria to win the final period 17-16, but the damage had already been done.

For D’Tigress, it was a brutal end to a campaign in which they failed to record a victory.