Nigeria’s women’s national basketball team, popularly known as D’Tigress, suffered a 77–60 defeat to South Korea’s women’s national basketball team in their second game of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament.
The match was played on March 12, 2026, at the Astroballe Arena in Lyon, where the Korean side delivered a disciplined performance to hand Nigeria their first loss in six games.
The result also marked South Korea’s first victory over Nigeria in three meetings, ending D’Tigress’ recent dominance in the matchup.
Competitive Start Before Korea Takes Control
The game began on a competitive note, with Nigerian forward Murjanatu Musa winning the opening tip against Jisu Park and scoring the first points for Nigeria.
South Korea, however, finished the first quarter ahead 20–16 thanks to efficient shooting.
The second quarter ended evenly at 16–16, leaving the Asian side with a narrow 36–32 halftime lead.
Nigeria remained within striking distance, but South Korea gradually extended their advantage.
In the third quarter, Korea outscored D’Tigress 22–19 to push the score to 58–51 heading into the final period.
The decisive moment came in the fourth quarter, where South Korea dominated with a 19–9 run, pulling away to secure a comfortable 17-point victory.
Park Leads Korea’s Balanced Attack
South Korea’s victory was powered by a strong all-around performance from Jihyun Park, who led all scorers with 22 points, along with six rebounds, four assists, and a steal.
Teammate Leeseul Kang added 20 points and three assists, while center Jisu Park recorded an impressive double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, alongside four blocks and four assists.
Their balanced offensive display proved too much for the Nigerian defense to contain.
Macaulay Shines Despite Nigerian Loss
For D’Tigress, Victoria Macaulay delivered the standout performance with 22 points and six rebounds, continuing her strong form in the tournament.
Murjanatu Musa contributed 10 points, while veteran point guard Ezinne Kalu added seven points.
Other contributors included Promise Amukamara with five points, Amy Okonkwo with three, Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah with two, and Elizabeth Balogun with one.
Kalu Reflects on Team Chemistry
Speaking after the game, Kalu acknowledged that the team is still rebuilding chemistry after a long break since their triumph at the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket 2025 tournament.
“It felt really good to regroup and play with the team again after a long break,” Kalu said.
“We’re already looking forward to the next game. The more we play together, the better we will get.”
Focus Shifts to Upcoming Matches
Despite the defeat, D’Tigress have already secured qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup as African champions.
They will use the qualifying tournament as preparation for the global competition, where they will join teams including the United States women’s national basketball team, the Belgium women’s national basketball team, the Australia women’s national basketball team, and the host, the Germany women’s national basketball team.
Nigeria will now turn their attention to their next fixture against the Philippines women’s national basketball team on March 14, before facing tougher tests against the France women’s national basketball team and Germany as they continue preparations for the World Cup.
