NIGERIA’S D’Tigress defeated Canada 79-70 in Lille today to advance to the quarter-finals of the women’s basketball event of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
With the victory, D’Tigress became the first-ever African basketball team (men or women) to qualify for the quarter-finals in Olympics history.
The African champions, ranked 12th in the world by FIBA, produced a sensational third-quarter blowout to seal the impressive win over the North Americans, ranked No.5 in the world.
After an even first quarter which finished 18-18 and a close second quarter (23-19 in Canada’s favour), D’Tigress pulled away and Canada could not catch up.
In one of the most one-sided quarters of basketball at the Games, D’Tigress dominated Canada 23-5 in the third, taking a healthy 14-point lead into the final quarter.
Canada rallied late in the fourth quarter, scoring the final six points of the game, but it was too late as D’Tigress claimed a famous and historic nine-point victory.
Having beaten Australia in their opening game, this is also the first time D’Tigress are winning two games at the Olympics, while Canada ended the their campaign without a win in three games.
Ezinne Kalu was pivotal in Nigeria’s win with her game-high 21 points, while Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpana contributed seven rebounds and Promise Amukamara six assists.
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