D’Tigress suffer second straight World Cup defeat against Hungary

Nigeria’s D’Tigress suffered their second consecutive defeat at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup after losing 67-71 to Hungary in Berlin on Saturday.

D’Tigress, who were seeking their first victory of the tournament following their 81-99 defeat to South Korea, struggled to recover from a slow start as Hungary established an early advantage.

Hungary led 21-13 at the end of the opening quarter and maintained control in the second period to take a 36-26 lead into half-time.

Nigeria remained 10 points behind at the end of the third quarter, with Hungary holding a 52-42 advantage heading into the final period.

D’Tigress, however, produced a determined response in the fourth quarter, outscoring Hungary 25-19.

The late rally brought Nigeria back into contention, but it was not enough to overturn the deficit as Hungary held on for a four-point victory.

Final score [Credit: D’Tigress Facebook Page]Amy Okonkwo led Nigeria’s scoring with 17 points, six rebounds and two assists in 29:46 minutes, while Ezinne Kalu contributed 11 points, three rebounds and a game-high nine assists in 35:51 minutes.

Efe Balogun added 13 points, four rebounds and three assists, while Victoria Macaulay provided 11 points in just 17:04 minutes off the bench.

Murjanatu Musa scored 10 points, grabbed four rebounds and provided one assist in 29:29 minutes.

The defeat leaves D’Tigress still searching for their first win of the tournament after two games.

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Nigeria’s second loss comes after they were beaten 81-99 by South Korea in their opening game despite a strong showing from Okonkwo, who scored 22 points, grabbed seven rebounds and provided three assists.

Against South Korea, Nigeria stayed competitive for long periods but eventually struggled to contain their opponents’ offensive firepower.

The loss to Hungary was a much closer contest, with D’Tigress showing greater resistance after falling behind early.

Nigeria will now have to regroup for their remaining World Cup assignment, having been unable to convert their fourth-quarter comeback into victory against Hungary.

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Tunde Eludini

Tunde Eludini is a graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria where he studied International Relations. He is a Senior Correspondent coordinating the sports section for PREMIUM TIMES. Twitter: @tundeyeludini