Nigeria’s female basketball national team, D’Tigress’ coach, Rena Wakama is motivating her players to return to winning form when they tango Hungary this Saturday in their second match at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berling, Germany.
Sports247 reports that Wakama’s charge came in the wake of her side’s 99-81 loss to South Korea during their first game of this year’s global championship in Berlin Arena, where D’Tigress fell behind 26-22 at the end of the first quarter.
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D’Tigress improved in the second quarter, but the South Koreans also kept going strong and managed to stay ahead, as the game stood at 48-45 by half time, following which the Asians still held to their lead at 68-62 in the third quarter, then extended it to an 18-point victory.
Korea’s Jihyun Park led the game’s scoring chart with 27 points, while D’Tigress captain, Amy Okonkwo followed with 22, which proved to be insufficient for the Nigerians, who qualified for the FIBA World Cup after winning a fifth straight continental title at Afrobasket 2025.
With expectations still riding high regarding the team’s target of improving on their quarter-final record set at the 2018 edition in Tenerife, Spain, D’Tigress are already looking for a revival in their second game in Group B.
Wakama declared enthusiastically, “We knew our challenge was going to be defensive. But we’ll bounce back. I’m not worried at all. I know who I have in my locker room, and I know we have enough. Every point and every possession matters.”
Sports247 reports further that Wakama admitted she has to be cautious in how she guides young players of the squad through tension of playing at the FIBA World Cup, but stressed the importance of keeping up pressure until the final buzzer, as points difference could be decisive.
