August 04, (THEWILL) – Nigeria’s D’Tigress made history at the Paris Olympics on Sunday, by reaching the women’s basketball quarter-finals for the first time. They defeated Canada 79-70 in a crucial group stage match, securing their spot in the next round with two wins from three games.
The Nigerian team’s performance was marked by strong offensive play, with Ezinne Kalu leading the scoring with 21 points. Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah contributed seven rebounds, while Promise Amukamara provided six assists. Nigeria won the first and third quarters, with the latter proving decisive as they outscored Canada 23-5.
For Canada, ranked fifth globally, the loss marked a disappointing end to their Olympic campaign. They finished at the bottom of their group without a win, despite high expectations. Shay Colley led the Canadian effort with 17 points, but the team struggled with 26 turnovers throughout the game.
Nigeria’s victory was built on a strong start, taking an early 10-2 lead in the first quarter. They further extended their advantage with a 15-0 run in the third quarter, which proved too much for Canada to overcome. Elizabeth Balogun also made a significant impact for Nigeria, scoring 14 points.
The D’Tigress’ achievement is particularly notable given their overall point difference. Across their three group games, they scored 208 points while conceding 207, highlighting the competitive nature of their matches. Their quarter-final qualification marks a significant milestone for Nigerian basketball on the international stage.
Much of the credit is attributable to the team coach, Rena Wakama. The 32-year-old had already made history earlier when she led the D’Tigress to become the first female coach to win the Afrobasket Championship.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
