Michael Adeoye
In a thrilling performance, Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, secured their first-ever Olympic quarterfinal berth with a 79-70 win over Canada on Sunday. The team’s victory marked a historic milestone, making them the first African team (men or women) to reach the Olympic quarterfinals.
D’Tigress knew only a win would guarantee their place in the knockout phase, and they fought hard to achieve it. After defeating Australia in their opening group game and losing to host France in their second match, the team was determined to succeed.
The game was intense, with little separating the two teams in the first quarter (18-18). Nigeria lost the second and fourth quarters (23-19, 24-19), but a dominant third quarter (23-5) proved to be the difference.
Ezinne led Nigeria’s scoring with 21 points, while Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah had 7 rebounds and Promise Amukamara had 6 assists. D’Tigress started the third quarter strong, going on an 11-0 run to lead Canada by 9 points. They sealed the victory with a superior performance in the final quarter, securing a historic 9-point win.
With two wins and one loss in their group games, D’Tigress have scored 208 points and conceded 207. Their victory marks a significant achievement for African basketball and sets the stage for their quarterfinal appearance.
