Nigeria’s Junior D’Tigress were edged out 85-79 by South Korea in the classification round for 9th–12th place at the ongoing FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup in Brno, Czech Republic.
The pulsating encounter, held at Starez Arena Vodova Hall 2, saw the Nigerian girls fall short despite a valiant effort, particularly in the final quarter.
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The result means Nigeria will now contest for 11th place against China.
South Korea started the game with intent, taking the first quarter 25-20 and maintaining a narrow lead into halftime (41-39). A dominant third quarter by the Asians (27-18) created a cushion Nigeria couldn’t overcome, despite outscoring their opponents in the final period (22-17).
Choi Yeseul was the standout performer for Korea, dropping a game-high 26 points, while Nigeria’s Haminatu Ayodeji led her team with 17 points.
Key Stats:
Field Goal Percentage: Nigeria 39%, Korea 51%
3-Point Shooting: Nigeria 38.9%, Korea 48%
Free Throws: Nigeria 72%, Korea 60%
Lead Time: Korea led for over 37 minutes
Despite the loss, Nigeria showed resilience and competitiveness in a game that featured four lead changes and multiple scoring runs, including an 8-0 burst in the fourth quarter.
The classification match against China for 11th place is Nigeria’s final opportunity to leave the tournament on a positive note.
The FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup 2025 runs from July 12 to July 20 in Czechia.
