Nigeria’s D’Tigresses are determined to respond when they meet Hungary on Saturday, following an 99-81 loss to South Korea in their first match at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, Germany.
The defeat gave the African champions a challenging opening to the tournament. Nigeria found it difficult to cope with South Korea’s disciplined play, as the Asian team circulated the ball effectively and capitalised repeatedly on defensive errors.
D’Tigresses captain Amy Okonkwo said her team struggled to deal with South Korea’s constant movement and accuracy from the perimeter.
“It was a difficult game today. South Korea are a very good team, they move the ball extremely well and take a lot of shots. We simply could not stop those things effectively,” Okonkwo said after the contest.
Head coach Rena Wakama said Nigeria had been aware of the scale of the test, having played South Korea two months ago. She felt the opponents’ organisation and understanding were ultimately decisive.
South Korea finished with 32 assists, while converting 54 per cent of their two-point attempts and 50 per cent of their three-pointers. Wakama, however, remains confident in her squad and expects a response in the next game.
“We knew defence would be our biggest challenge today, but we will recover. I am not concerned at all. I know the players in that locker room, and I know we have enough quality,” she said.
Wakama also called on her players to compete relentlessly through the final buzzer. In a FIBA tournament, she noted, the points difference can become crucial when teams are separated in the standings.
