Nigeria’s female basketball national team, D’Tigress’ captain, Amy Okonkwo has declared that every player in the squad will fight extra hard on Saturday, in order to defeat Hungary during their second game at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berling, Germany.
Sports247 reports that Okonkwo’s pledge came after the Nigerians slumped against South Korea in their first game at Berlin Arena, where D’Tigress fell behind 26-22 at the end of the first quarter and the Asians held firmly to seal victory with an 18-point difference.
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Despite the huge defeat, Okonkwo, whose 22 points were behind only South Korea’s Jihyun Park’s game high 27, stressed that D’Tigress will romp back to winning ways on Saturday, as they seek to turn their fortune round with victory against Hungary.
While drawing inspiration from memories of their impressive run at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Okonkwo, who recently signed for Portland Fire of USA, after a stint at Beşiktaş of Turkey, asserted that D’Tigress have what it takes to beat the Europeans.
Okonkwo declared emphatically: “I believe in this team with my whole heart. I believe in everyone in our locker room, and we’re all that we need. I really believe that (Saturday) is another opportunity. So we’ll come out and fight.
“I think in 2024, that was just a glimpse of what we’re capable of. I think there is no ceiling for us. (Saturday) is another opportunity for us to go out there and show the world what we are capable of.”
Sports247 recalls that Okonkwo, who was voted most valuable player when Nigeria won the 2023 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket in Kigali, Rwanda, was named among promising players to watch out for at the ongoing Senior Women’s Basketball Mundial in Berlin.
