Nigeria’s D’Tigress will face the Philippines women’s national basketball team on Saturday March 14 after they suffered a 77–60 defeat to the South Korea women’s national basketball team in the ongoing qualifying tournament for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Lyon, France.

The match, played on Thursday at the Astroballe Arena, ended Nigeria’s unbeaten run that stretched back to their quarter-final loss to the United States women’s national basketball team at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Head coach Rena Wakama kept faith with the same starting lineup that defeated the Colombia women’s national basketball team in the opening game. Amy Okonkwo, Elizabeth Balogun, Promise Amukamara, Murjanatu Musa and Ezinne Kalu started the contest, but the Nigerian side struggled to contain South Korea’s effective perimeter shooting.

Reacting to the defeat, promoter of the Mark D’ Ball Basketball Championship, Mark Igoche, urged the team to remain 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… The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. Let’s rise, D’Tigress!”

° Flying Eagles midfielder Daniel Daga

Flying Eagles midfielder Daniel Daga has been sentenced to six months in prison by a Norwegian court after being found guilty of committing a sexual act without consent.

The 19-year-old, who plays for Norwegian club Molde FK, was convicted on Tuesday and ordered to pay 10,000 Norwegian kroner in legal costs, according to a report by TV 2 Norway.

The case stems from an incident reported to Norwegian police in late April 2025.

Daga was later charged under Section 297 of the Norwegian Penal Code, which deals with sexual activity without consent.

During court proceedings, prosecutors requested a six-month prison sentence, a request the court eventually upheld. Public reports have provided limited details about the incident.

Daga’s lawyer, Astrid Bolstad, said the player was disappointed with the ruling and maintains that the encounter was consensual, adding that the ruling is not yet final and that the player intends to appeal.

“He is very upset about the verdict. He believes he is innocent and that everything happened with consent,” Bolstad told TV 2.

” The verdict is not legally binding yet. He should be treated like anyone else until the case is finalised,” Bolstad said, noting that Daga had continued to train normally in recent weeks.

In a statement issued later on Tuesday, Molde FK described the situation as difficult and confirmed that the player would not be included in the club’s matchday squad until further notice.

The club’s chairman, Tarje Nordstrand Jacobsen, said, “This is a very demanding matter for all involved.

As an employer, Molde Football Club has a responsibility to look after our employees in a responsible manner, while at the same time having great respect for the seriousness of the matter and for the burdens this entails for all parties concerned.

(VANGUARD)

The 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup tournament begins in Lyon, France today with D’Tigress opening the game against Colombia .

Host nation, Germany, and continental champions, Belgium (Europe), United States (FIBA Women’s AmeriCup 2025 champions), Australia (Asia) and Nigeria (Africa) have already qualified for the World Cup, but they are still participating in the qualifying tournament.

Coach Rema Wakama is in Lyon with 12 players, who are expected to maintain Nigeria’s rising status in world’s women’s basketball.

The qualifiers will serve as further preparation for the global tournament scheduled to take place in Germany from September 4 to 13.

After today’s opening game against Colombia, the D’Tigress will face South Korea tomorrow, meet the Philippines on March 14, hosts France on March 15 and Germany on March 17.

In total, 24 national teams are competing across four global tournaments for the remaining places at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 in Berlin.

A total of 60 games will be played across four round-robin qualifying tournaments across the globe as teams battle for their places at the sport’s flagship international competition.

In most tournaments, the top three teams will qualify for the World Cup. However, because host nation Germany and the winners of the 2025 continental championships already have automatic qualification, 11 teams will progress from the qualifying tournaments to the World Cup.