The senior female basketball team from Nigeria, D’Tigress, advanced to the Olympic quarterfinals for the first time ever on Sunday by defeating their Canadian opponents 79-70.
In their final Group B game at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in France, during the Women’s Basketball Tournament for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the Nigerian team created history.
By the end of the first quarter, neither team was ahead by more than 18 points, and the game was deadlocked. The difference between the D’Tigress and their Canadian opponents at the half was 41–37.
With their eyes staring at making history and advancing to the last eight of the Olympics tournament, the D’Tigress intensified their attack and led by 55-46 before capping their historic performance with a 79-70 win at the end of the game.
Among the impressive players from the Nigerian side was their point guard and three-time Afrobasket champion, Ezinne Kalu, who was seen almost everywhere on the court, scoring 21 points.
The win was a proud moment for head coach René Wakama, who had charged the African champions to get back to their winning ways before their game against Canada.