Nigeria’s D’Tigress will have to fight back in their next game after South Korea produced a strong fourth-quarter performance to beat the African champions 99–81 in their opening match of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.
The Group B encounter in Berlin remained competitive for most of the game, with Nigeria staying within a few points of South Korea before the Koreans produced a decisive late run.
South Korea led 26–22 at the end of the first quarter before taking a narrow 48–45 advantage into the interval.
D’Tigress continued to challenge their opponents in the third quarter and briefly threatened to close the gap.
However, South Korea refused to surrender its advantage and finished the third period with a 68–62 lead.
Nigeria then struggled to maintain its momentum in the final quarter as South Korea increased the intensity and opened up a significant advantage.
The Koreans eventually finished 18 points ahead, handing Nigeria a 99–81 defeat.
Okonkwo, Musa Impress Despite Defeat
Amy Okonkwo led Nigeria’s scoring with 22 points and also contributed seven rebounds and three assists.
Murjanatu Musa posted a double-double, recording 13 points and a team-high 12 rebounds.
Ezinne Kalu added 11 points and five assists, while Victoria Macaulay scored 10 points in a productive spell off the bench.
South Korea, however, received a major contribution from Jihyun Park, who finished the contest with 27 points.
The Korean side’s ability to convert opportunities and punish Nigerian turnovers ultimately proved decisive.
No Time to Dwell on Defeat
D’Tigress now face a crucial turnaround against Hungary on Saturday.
Nigeria qualified for the World Cup as the reigning FIBA Women’s AfroBasket champions and arrived in Germany hoping to improve on their previous best World Cup finish of eighth place in 2018.
The tournament format makes the remaining group matches particularly important.
Nigeria is in Group B alongside South Korea, Hungary and France, with the team scheduled to face France in its final group fixture on Monday.
A strong response against Hungary would put D’Tigress back on course in their bid to reach the knockout stages.
For coach Rena Wakama and her players, the challenge is now to quickly address the issues exposed against South Korea and produce a stronger performance in their next outing.
