On Sunday, the Nigerian senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, achieved a historic victory by defeating Canada 79-70, advancing to their first-ever Olympic quarterfinals.
This milestone was reached during their final Group B match of the Women’s Basketball Tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympics, held at Pierre Mauroy Stadium in France.
The game was evenly matched, with both teams scoring 18 points in the first quarter.
It was in the second quarter, D’Tigress fell behind, trailing Canada 41-37.
Aiming to make history and secure a spot in the Olympic quarterfinals, the D’Tigress ramped up their offense, leading 55-46 before sealing their historic victory with a 79-70 finish.
Standout players included point guard and three-time Afrobasket champion Ezinne Kalu, who was seen almost everywhere on the court and scored 21 points.
The victory was a proud achievement for head coach Rene Wakama, who had motivated the African champions to regain their winning form ahead of their game against Canada.
