Nigeria’s D’Tigress suffered a 99-81 defeat to South Korea in their opening Group B game of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin.
The African champions started brightly, racing into an early 6-0 lead, but South Korea responded strongly and ended the first quarter ahead 26-22.
Nigeria stay close before half-time
D’Tigress recovered in the second quarter and outscored South Korea 23-22, cutting the deficit to just three points at the break.
South Korea still held a narrow 48-45 lead at half-time, leaving the game finely balanced.
Amy Okonkwo leads third-quarter fightback
Amy Okonkwo played a major role in Nigeria’s comeback attempt, scoring 10 points in the third quarter as D’Tigress closed the gap to 59-58.
South Korea responded again, however, and carried a 68-62 advantage into the final quarter.
South Korea pull away late
The decisive stretch came in the fourth quarter, when South Korea outscored Nigeria 31-19 to turn a competitive contest into an 18-point victory.
Jihyun Park led all scorers with 27 points, while Nigeria’s 20 turnovers proved costly.
Okonkwo and Musa impress for Nigeria
Okonkwo finished with 22 points, seven rebounds and three assists, while Ezinne Kalu added 11 points and five assists.
Victoria Macaulay contributed 10 points, while Murjanatu Musa produced an impressive double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds.
Musa makes Nigerian World Cup history
Musa’s performance also earned her a place in Nigeria’s record books.
She became just the fourth Nigerian player to record a double-double at the Women’s World Cup, joining Mfon Udoka, Evelyn Akhator and Itoro Umoh.
Her 13 rebounds also matched Akhator’s Nigerian record for the most rebounds in a Women’s World Cup game.
Hungary next for D’Tigress
Nigeria will return to action against Hungary in their second Group B game.
After competing strongly for much of the opener, D’Tigress will now look to reduce turnovers, improve their fourth-quarter execution and get their first win of the tournament.