D'Tigress fall to South Korea, Igoche Mark urges team to eye bigger comeback

D'Tigress fall to South Korea, Igoche Mark urges team to eye bigger comeback

Nigeria's D'Tigress team suffered a setback in their second 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup qualification match, losing to South Korea on March 12, 2026.

Despite a dominant 70-37 win over Colombia in their previous match, Nigeria struggled with foul trouble and an off day for key players, allowing South Korea to capitalize on their superior 3-point shooting. Korea led 36-32 at halftime and went on to secure the win.

Reacting to the loss, Mark Igoche, Promoter of the Mark D' Ball Basketball Championship, urged the team to stay focused. "Don't let this one setback bring you down. As I always say, 'Champions aren't made in the wins, they're made in the losses.' You've got this! You've shown your strength against Colombia, and now it's time to regroup and refocus."

Igoche added, "'Fall down 7 times, stand up 8.' Let's use this as fuel to propel us forward. You're not just playing for Nigeria, you're playing for the future of Nigerian basketball. So, dust yourselves off, and let's get ready for the next one. The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.' Let's rise, D'Tigress!"

The team, led by coach Rena Wakama, will look to bounce back in their upcoming matches against Philippines, France, and Germany.