D’Tigress Stumble Against South Korea in FIBA World Cup Opener

Nigeria’s hopes of making a strong start at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup suffered an early setback on Friday as D’Tigress fell 99–81 to South Korea in their opening Group B fixture in Berlin.

The reigning African champions remained firmly in contention for much of the contest, trailing by just three points at halftime after recovering from a slow opening quarter. But a combination of turnovers and South Korea’s relentless three-point shooting proved decisive as the Asian side pulled away in the final period.

South Korea led 26–22 after the opening quarter before Nigeria responded with greater intensity in the second, narrowing the deficit to 48–45 at the break. Coach Rena Wakama’s side continued to battle after halftime, but nine turnovers in the third quarter handed South Korea the momentum it needed to stretch its advantage.

The final quarter belonged almost entirely to the Koreans, who outscored Nigeria 31–19 to seal an emphatic 18-point victory. South Korea punished defensive lapses from beyond the arc, converting 11 of 28 three-point attempts, while Nigeria managed just 6 of 20 and finished with 23 turnovers, more than double their opponents’ tally.

Despite the defeat, D’Tigress produced several encouraging individual performances. Captain Amy Okonkwo led Nigeria’s scoring with 20 points, while Murjanatu Musa dominated the glass with a game-high 13 rebounds. For South Korea, Jihyun Park starred with 27 points, and Leeseul Kang added 20 points in a clinical offensive display.

The result leaves Nigeria with little time to recover. D’Tigress return to action against Hungary in their second Group B game, knowing a victory will be crucial to keeping their hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive. Under the tournament’s format, every group-stage result carries significant weight in determining progression.

For a team that arrived in Germany as one of Africa’s brightest medal hopes, the opening defeat is disappointing but far from decisive. How quickly D’Tigress address their ball security and perimeter defence could define whether this World Cup becomes another landmark chapter in Nigerian basketball or a campaign of missed opportunities.