D’Tigress stayed within six points entering the final quarter after trailing 26-22 at the end of the first period and 48-45 at halftime. Nigeria remained competitive in the third quarter, but South Korea pulled away in the final period to secure an 18-point victory.
Jihyun Park led all scorers with 27 points, while Leeseul Kang caused problems from beyond the arc, making six three-pointers as South Korea finished 11 of 28 from long range.
Nigeria struggled with ball security, committing 23 turnovers compared with South Korea’s 10. D’Tigress also made only six of their 20 attempts from three-point range.
Captain Amy Okonkwo led Nigeria’s scoring with 20 points, while Murjanatu Musa dominated the boards with a game-high 13 rebounds.
Despite showing resilience for much of the game, Nigeria could not sustain their challenge as South Korea capitalised on their turnovers and sharp perimeter shooting.
The result leaves coach Rena Wakama with work to do ahead of Nigeria’s second Group B match, particularly in improving ball security and defending against long-range shooters.
D’Tigress will face Hungary on Saturday at 1:15 pm as they look to bounce back from the opening-day defeat and keep their World Cup campaign on track.
Nigeria qualified for the tournament after winning the 2025 Women’s Afrobasket and are in Group B alongside France, South Korea and Hungary.
The 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup is being held in Berlin and will run until September 13.
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