South Korea defeated D’Tigress 99-81 in their FIBA Women’s World Cup opener in Berlin on Friday. The Korean side started strongly, taking a 26-22 lead after the opening quarter against Nigeria.
D’Tigress responded during the second quarter, cutting the deficit before South Korea reached halftime ahead 48-45. Nigeria continued fighting after halftime, but Korea maintained control and entered the final quarter leading 68-62.
A decisive fourth-quarter performance then helped South Korea pull away and secure an 18-point victory. Jihyun Park led Korea’s scoring with 31 points and earned the game’s highest efficiency rating.
Amy Okonkwo led Nigeria’s attack with 24 points, but her contribution could not prevent defeat. Meanwhile, Nigeria shot 50 percent from the field, compared with Korea’s 52 percent overall shooting accuracy.
Korea also connected on 50 percent of its three-point attempts, while Nigeria managed 30 percent. Nigeria struggled to sustain its momentum despite remaining competitive through the opening three quarters.
The result gives D’Tigress a difficult start in Group B at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. D’Tigress entered the tournament after winning the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket title. The African champions also made history by reaching the women’s Olympic quarter-finals for the first time.
South Korea’s victory now puts Nigeria under pressure ahead of its next Group B encounter. D’Tigress will face Hungary on Saturday as they attempt to revive their World Cup campaign. Nigeria will need stronger ball movement, defensive discipline, and shooting efficiency against Hungary.
The FIBA Women’s World Cup runs until September 13, with the tournament taking place in Berlin. For D’Tigress, immediate recovery remains essential as Nigeria targets another deep tournament run.
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