Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, kicked off their Group B Paris Olympic Games campaign with a stunning 75-62 victory over the heavily favoured Australian team, marking their first Olympic win in 20 years.
Led by coach Rena Wakama, the team delivered a spirited performance on Monday at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium, securing their first Olympic match win since the 2004 Athens Games.
The D’Tigress finished the first half with an 11-0 run, establishing a 13-point lead that helped them keep the Opals of Australia at bay. Amy Okonkwo’s crucial three-pointer further strengthened Nigeria’s position, aiding Coach Wakama’s strategy.
Ezinne Kalu was a standout player for Nigeria, scoring 19 points, grabbing five rebounds, and contributing three assists and three steals, making a significant impact in her return to the Olympic stage since Tokyo 2020.
Australia struggled with ball control, turning it over 26 times, which Nigeria capitalized on to score 26 points from these turnovers.
The victory marks Nigeria’s second win in the Women’s Olympic Basketball tournament, their first being against South Korea in 2004 with a score of 68-64. It also represents D’Tigress’ first win in nine preliminary rounds at the Olympics.
For Australia, the defeat is their second consecutive loss in the opening game of the Women’s Olympic Basketball game, breaking a streak of six previous victories.
Notably, Nigeria is now the first African nation to defeat Australia in either the World Cup or Olympics, ending a 12-game winning streak for the Australians against African teams.
