D’Tigress fall to South Korea in FIBA Women’s World Cup opener
Nigeria’s D’Tigress commenced their FIBA Women’s World Cup campaign with an 81-99 defeat against South Korea. The match, held in Berlin, saw a determined effort from the Nigerian side, particularly led by Amy Okonkwo, though it was not enough to overcome the Korean offense.
The game began with a competitive first quarter, where South Korea established a 26-22 lead. D’Tigress managed to narrow the deficit through efforts such as Grace Efosa converting free throws and Pallas Kunaiyi further reducing the margin. Despite South Korea extending their advantage to nine points in the second quarter, Nigeria fought back to trail by only three points at halftime, with the score standing at 48-45 in favor of South Korea.
Second Half Fightback and Key Performances
In the second half, Amy Okonkwo delivered a significant scoring run, contributing 10 consecutive points that brought Nigeria within one point of South Korea, making the score 59-58. However, D’Tigress were unable to sustain this momentum, ultimately succumbing to South Korea’s offensive strength.
Okonkwo concluded the game as Nigeria’s leading scorer, registering 22 points, seven rebounds, and three assists over 30:06 minutes on the court. Murjanatu Musa achieved a double-double, scoring 13 points and securing a team-high 12 rebounds in 20:01 minutes. Ezinne Kalu also made notable contributions with 11 points, two rebounds, and a team-high five assists in 28:48 minutes. Additionally, Victoria Macaulay added 10 points coming off the bench in just under 16 minutes, and Promise Amukamara contributed five points, two rebounds, and four assists while playing a team-high 28:51 minutes.
Team Composition and Tournament Outlook
The D’Tigress squad for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, which runs from September 4 to 13 in Berlin, Germany, is led by head coach Rena Wakama. The team features a mix of established international players and emerging talents. Key players in the squad include Amy Okonkwo, Ezinne Kalu, Promise Amukamara, Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah, Murjanatu Musa, and Victoria Macaulay.
Other players listed for the tournament include Elizabeth Balogun, Rita Igbokwe, Jordan Obi, Grace Efosa-Aguebor, Ifunanya Okoro, Nora Ezike, Nicole Enabosi, Uche Izoje, Maryam Dauda, Gabby White, and Idubamo Beggi. Nigeria enters the tournament as five-time defending African champions, having extended their continental dominance at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket.
Support and Upcoming Fixtures
Basketball stakeholders and former international players have expressed their support for D’Tigress, encouraging them to leverage their past successes. Col. Sam Ahmedu (Rtd.), FIBA Africa Zone 3 President and Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) board member, urged the team to draw inspiration from their previous global outings, including a quarter-final finish at the 2018 World Cup in Spain and a quarter-final appearance at the Paris Olympics. He also highlighted the team’s seven African titles as a source of motivation.
Former national team captains and WNBA veterans Mfon Udoka and Mactabene Amachree also conveyed messages of encouragement. Both players were integral to Nigeria’s 2003 and 2005 Afrobasket victories and later held managerial roles during the team’s resurgence in 2017. They expressed confidence in the current roster, which relies on an experienced core featuring long-serving guards Ezinne Kalu and Promise Amukamara, alongside Amy Okonkwo, Elizabeth Balogun, Victoria Macaulay, and Murjanatu Musa.
The stakeholders emphasized the importance of the squad utilizing their collective international experience to achieve further progress on the world stage. Following their game against South Korea, D’Tigress is scheduled to face Hungary and will complete their group fixtures against France on September 7.
Source: premiumtimesng.com
