D’Tigress Fall to South Korea in World Cup Opener

The D’Tigress of Nigeria commenced their 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup campaign with a 99-81 defeat against South Korea on September 4, 2023, in Berlin, Germany. The match took place at the Berlin Arena, where Nigeria started strong but lost the first quarter 26-22.

By halftime, South Korea led 48-45. Despite a competitive effort from Nigeria, led by captain Amy Okonkwo who scored 22 points, South Korea maintained control, extending their lead to 68-62 by the end of the third quarter.

The Koreans ultimately secured an 18-point victory, with Jihyun Park scoring 27 points to lead all scorers. Nigeria struggled with turnovers, which hindered their ability to close the gap.

The D’Tigress, who qualified for the World Cup by winning the 2025 Women’s Afrobasket, will face Hungary in their next Group B game on Saturday. The tournament runs from September 4 to 13, 2026.