D’Tigress Coach Rena Wakama Optimistic After Loss

Rena Wakama, the head coach of Nigeria's women's basketball team, D’Tigress, expressed optimism following their 77-60 defeat to South Korea in the FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifier held in Lyon, France. This loss marks the first time the Nigerian senior women's basketball team has lost to a Korean team.

The D’Tigress struggled to maintain their usual momentum, trailing narrowly at halftime with a score of 36-32. Victoria Macaulay was highlighted as Nigeria's best performer, having scored 22 points and secured 6 rebounds in their first game against Colombia.

Coach Wakama acknowledged the lessons learned from the defeat, praising the overall performance of the Korean team while noting that Nigeria struggled with shooting and turnovers. The D’Tigress are set to face the Philippines next, with hopes of securing a spot in the World Cup alongside Germany, who have already qualified.

The tournament features four countries: France, Turkey, Puerto Rico, and China, competing for World Cup qualification.