National Telescope national telescope newspaper
In a landmark achievement, Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, secured their first-ever Olympic quarterfinal spot with a thrilling 79-70 victory over Canada on Sunday.
This historic win marks the first time an African team, male or female, has reached the Olympic basketball quarterfinals.
D’Tigress entered the game knowing that only a win would secure their place in the knockout stage, and they fought tenaciously to achieve it.
After a victory against Australia in their opening group game and a loss to host France in their second match, the team was determined to succeed.
The game was closely contested, with both teams tied at 18-18 after the first quarter. Although Nigeria lost the second and fourth quarters (23-19, 24-19), a dominant third quarter (23-5) made the difference.
Ezinne Kalu led the team with 21 points, while Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah contributed 7 rebounds, and Promise Amukamara had 6 assists.
D’Tigress began the third quarter with a powerful 11-0 run, putting them ahead of Canada by 9 points. They maintained their lead with a strong performance in the final quarter, clinching a historic 9-point win.
With two wins and one loss in their group games, D’Tigress have scored 208 points while conceding 207. This victory marks a significant milestone for African basketball and sets the stage for an exciting quarterfinal appearance.
