Oyedeji urges D’Tigress to move on from Korea loss, focus on Philippines clash

March 12, 2026

...Lessons learnt, we will get better – Victoria Macaulay

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye and Trust Ittai

NBA and FIBA ambassador Olumide Oyedeji, a leading candidate for the presidency of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, has called on D’Tigress to quickly put behind them the 77–60 defeat to South Korea at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament 2026 in France, urging the team to remain focused and confident as they prepare for their next matchup.

Speaking after the game played at the Astroballe, Oyedeji praised the Nigerian women for their effort despite the loss, insisting the setback does not diminish their quality or World Cup readiness.

“You put in the right shift and energy, but it fell short of your usual touch,” he said. “But you were not bruised beyond a comeback.”

He emphasized that the team must channel their attention toward their upcoming fixture. “The next game is what you girls need to be concerned with, that is to take down the Philippines,” Oyedeji added.

The former D’Tigers captain described the Qualifying Tournament as “a warm-up business” for D’Tigress, who have already secured their place at the 2026 Women’s Basketball World Cup in Germany this September.

“We are proud of your achievements and will continue to support you as you continue to put Nigeria on the global basketball map,” he said, reaffirming his confidence in the reigning African champions.

Though Nigeria fell behind after Korea’s decisive 15–0 first-quarter run and couldn’t recover, Oyedeji stressed that the bigger picture remains intact, a strong World Cup campaign and maintaining Nigeria’s rising presence in global basketball.

Victoria Macaulay, said after the game that D'Tigress has learn from their mistakes.

“Definitely a competitively one, we knew Korea were fast shooter, we tried to prepare to the best of our ability, to defend them, you know, just a lesson learnt, we'll get better.”

South Korea produced a commanding performance to defeat Nigeria 77–60 in Group A of the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament on Thursday at the Astroballe.

After a closely contested opening quarter, Korea seized control of the game with a decisive scoring burst and never looked back, leading for more than 31 minutes while steadily stretching their advantage through disciplined defense and balanced scoring.

Nigeria initially held a narrow edge, going up 16–12 late in the first quarter.

However, the momentum quickly swung as Korea responded with a devastating 15–0 run over 4:33.

The surge, capped by a three-pointer from Jihyun Park with 1:11 remaining in the quarter, gave Korea a 17–16 lead and shifted the contest firmly in their favour.

During the run, Korea’s defense forced four Nigerian turnovers while limiting the African side to just a single point.

By midway through the second quarter, Korea had stretched the lead to double digits and maintained control for the remainder of the contest.

Park led Korea’s offensive charge with 22 points, shooting 8-of-13 from the field, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. She also contributed six rebounds and four assists in an all-round display.

Center Jisu Park dominated inside the paint with 11 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and four blocks, while Leeseul Kang added 20 points and three assists to underline Korea’s balanced attack.

For Nigeria, Victoria Macaulay delivered a strong individual performance, finishing with 22 points and six rebounds.

However, her five turnovers highlighted Nigeria’s struggles, particularly during Korea’s game-changing run.

Nigeria’s best spell came late in the second quarter when they mounted a 7–0 run to cut the deficit from 34–25 to 34–32, with Macaulay accounting for all the points. Korea quickly regained control and kept Nigeria at bay for the rest of the encounter.

Korea’s largest lead stretched to 19 points late in the final quarter, while Nigeria’s biggest advantage had been just four points during the early stages of the opening period.

With the victory, Korea strengthened their position in Group A, combining a potent offense with relentless defensive pressure to secure an emphatic win in their campaign at the global qualifying tournament.

Italy 78

Puerto Rico 41

South Sudan 79

Brazil 94

Mali 77

Czech Republic 64

Belgium 80

China 65

Australia 81

Japan 71

Hungary 53

Canada 75