D’Tigress Beat Canada 79-70 to Reach First Ever Olympics Quarterfinals
The Nigerian senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, achieved a milestone victory on Sunday by defeating Canada 79-70, securing their first-ever quarterfinal berth at the Olympic Games.
The decisive match took place at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in France during the final Group B contest of the Women’s Basketball Tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The game began evenly, with both teams tied at 18 points by the end of the first quarter.
As the game progressed into the second quarter, D’Tigress fell behind, trailing Canada 41-37. However, the Nigerian team, driven by the prospect of advancing to the quarterfinals for the first time, upped their game. They surged ahead with a 55-46 lead by the end of the third quarter and maintained their momentum to secure a 79-70 victory.
Point guard Ezinne Kalu, a three-time Afrobasket champion, delivered an outstanding performance, contributing 21 points and making her presence felt all over the court.
The win was a significant accomplishment for head coach Rene Wakama, who had motivated the African champions to return to their winning ways prior to the crucial game against Canada. The historic victory marks a proud moment for D’Tigress and Nigerian basketball.
