D’Tigress Suffer World Cup Opening Defeat as South Korea Pull Away Late

Nigeria’s D’Tigress have suffered a difficult start to their 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup campaign after losing 81–99 to South Korea in their opening Group B match in Berlin, Germany.

The Nigerian women stayed competitive for long stretches of the contest, but South Korea produced a decisive fourth-quarter performance to turn a closely fought game into a comfortable victory.

South Korea made the faster start, taking a 26–22 lead after the first quarter. D’Tigress responded in the second quarter and reduced the pressure before the Koreans went into halftime with a narrow 48–45 advantage.

Nigeria continued to battle after the break and remained close enough to threaten a comeback. However, South Korea maintained its composure and entered the final quarter with a 68–62 lead.

The fourth quarter ultimately proved decisive.

South Korea increased its intensity on both ends of the court while Nigeria struggled to maintain possession and convert its opportunities. The Koreans capitalised on Nigeria’s turnovers and pulled away during the closing minutes to secure a 99–81 victory.

Turnovers were particularly costly for D’Tigress. Nigeria gave the ball away 23 times during the game, compared with just 10 turnovers by South Korea.

Despite the result, there were encouraging individual performances from Nigeria.

Amy Okonkwo led D’Tigress with 22 points, seven rebounds and three assists, while Murjanatu Musa contributed 13 points and 12 rebounds to record a double-double.

Ezinne Kalu also provided an important contribution, finishing with 11 points and five assists.

South Korea received a standout performance from Jihyun Park, who scored 27 points. Leeseul Kang added 20 points, including six three-pointers, as South Korea's perimeter shooting helped create separation late in the game.

For Nigeria, the defeat will be disappointing, but it does not end the team's World Cup campaign.

D’Tigress still have an opportunity to recover in their remaining group matches. Their next challenge is Hungary, before they face France in their final Group B fixture.

The Nigerian team entered the tournament with considerable expectations after continuing their dominance of African women's basketball. D’Tigress won their fifth consecutive Women’s AfroBasket championship in 2025 and will be determined to show that their opening defeat was only a setback.

The immediate priority will be reducing turnovers, improving their offensive execution and finding a way to remain composed when opponents increase the pressure late in games.

With the group stage still underway, D’Tigress cannot afford another slow finish. A strong response in their next game could put Nigeria back on track and keep their hopes of advancing in the competition alive.

For Nigerian basketball fans, the message is simple: the tournament is not over.

D’Tigress have taken the first blow. Now they have to respond.

Key Facts

Final Score: South Korea 99–81 Nigeria

Competition: 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup

Nigeria’s Group: Group B

Nigeria’s Top Scorer: Amy Okonkwo — 22 points

Murjanatu Musa: 13 points and 12 rebounds

Ezinne Kalu: 11 points and 5 assists

South Korea’s Top Scorer: Jihyun Park — 27 points

Nigeria Turnovers: 23

South Korea Turnovers: 10

Nigeria’s Next Opponent: Hungary