D’Tigress stunned their highly favoured Australian counterparts 75-62 at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium on Monday
By Kehinde Okeowo
African basketball champions, Nigeria’s D’Tigress, defeated the Opals of Australia in their first match at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
In what has been described as the biggest upset of the Olympics so far, the Rena Wakama-led ladies stunned their highly favoured Australian counterparts 75-62 at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium on Monday.
The Nigerian ladies showed no fear from the opening tip, picking up ball-handlers full-court and seeming to catch the Aussies off-guard with their length and intensity on defense.
Nigeria held the Opals to just 28 points in the first half, including 11 in the second quarter, while Ezinne Kalu’s 17 points and four 3s helped build a shocking 41-28 lead at the break.
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As expected, Australia who took the bronze at the 2022 FIBA World Cup responded and cut the lead to one possession at multiple points in the fourth quarter.
But Nigeria never stopped coming, and again, defense was the catalyst as D’Tigress shot just 35% from the field on the day, but a whopping 26 turnovers helped produce a 68-55 shot advantage.
Australia scored just six points over the final six minutes of the fourth, while Amy Okonkwo hit multiple dagger 3s, including one to stretch the lead back to seven and essentially salt things away.
The victory means the D’Tigress earned their first Olympics win since 2024 Athens Olympics.