By Sports Desk | September 4, 2026

Nigeria’s D’Tigress have been handed an early test at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup after suffering a 99–81 defeat to South Korea in their opening Group B match in Berlin.

The result was not the start Nigeria had hoped for, with South Korea producing a disciplined performance to secure an 18-point victory. Despite the defeat, D’Tigress showed periods of competitiveness and will now have to regroup quickly as they continue their campaign.

South Korea took control early, finishing the opening quarter with a 26–22 advantage. Nigeria responded in the second quarter and managed to keep the contest close, but South Korea maintained a narrow 48–45 lead at halftime.

The Koreans continued to hold the advantage after the break. They entered the final quarter leading 68–62 before producing their strongest spell of the game to pull away from Nigeria.

Okonkwo leads Nigeria's effort

Amy Okonkwo was Nigeria’s leading scorer, finishing the game with 22 points. Her contribution provided an important attacking outlet for D’Tigress, but Nigeria struggled to match South Korea's offensive consistency across the full 40 minutes.

South Korea's Jihyun Park was the game's leading scorer with 27 points and played a major role in her team's victory.

Turnovers also hurt Nigeria at crucial moments, allowing South Korea to create additional scoring opportunities and maintain control of the contest.

For head coach Rena Wakama and her players, the challenge now is to quickly identify the problems exposed in the opening game and respond in their next outing.

Hungary next for Nigeria

D’Tigress will face Hungary in their next Group B fixture, giving Nigeria an immediate opportunity to get their campaign back on track.

The group also contains France, meaning Nigeria face a demanding route toward the knockout stages. Every game will therefore carry significant importance as the teams battle for progression.

Despite Friday's setback, Nigeria have plenty of experience of competing at the highest level. D’Tigress have established themselves as one of Africa's leading women's basketball teams and have continued to make history on the international stage.

Nigeria reached the quarter-finals of the 2018 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, while their performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics saw them become the first African women's basketball team to reach the Olympic quarter-finals.

Those achievements have raised expectations around the national team, and supporters will be hoping the players can produce another memorable tournament in Berlin.

The defeat to South Korea means Nigeria cannot afford to dwell on their opening result. A strong response against Hungary would put them in a better position to keep their qualification hopes alive.

With experienced players, a proven coaching staff and a reputation for competing against some of the world's best teams, D’Tigress still have an opportunity to turn their campaign around.

The loss to South Korea is a setback, but it does not define Nigeria's World Cup campaign. The response in the next game could determine the direction of their tournament.