Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress have made history by reaching the quarterfinals of the Paris 2024 Olympics after a 79-70 win over Canada.
The win took place at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille, France, and marked a big achievement for the team and African basketball as a whole.
The game against Canada, the fifth ranked team in the world was intense, with both teams eager to secure a place in the next round.
D’Tigress, three-time Women’s Afrobasket Champions, came into the game with a win against Australia and a loss to France in their earlier matches.
Despite the setback, the team, led by Coach Rena Wakama, won the tie.
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From the very start, it was clear that the game would be a fierce battle.
The first quarter ended in a 18-18 tie, showing how evenly matched the teams were.
As the second quarter began, Canada started to pull ahead, using their experience and higher world ranking to their advantage.
By halftime, Canada was leading 41-37, and it seemed like they might take control of the game.
However, D’Tigress were not ready to give up.
They held Canada to just five points in the quarter, completely shifting the momentum of the game.
In the last quarter, D’Tigress continued to play with intensity and focus.
They outplayed Canada in the closing minutes, securing a 9-point victory that not only won them the game but also earned them their first-ever spot in the Olympic quarterfinals.
Coach Rena Wakama, who has been a key figure in the team’s success, also made history by becoming the first coach to lead an African team to the Olympic quarterfinals.
