Nigeria’s D’Tigress triumphed over Australia’s Opals in their opening match of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Guided by coach Rena Wakama, the Nigerian team delivered a strong performance to secure a 75-62 victory over the Australians at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium on Monday.
This win marked Nigeria’s first Olympic victory since Athens 2004, where they won a non-critical classification game against South Korea after being eliminated.
Australia was ranked third in the competition, while Nigeria was placed 12th in the rankings.
However, the disparity suggested by these rankings quickly disappeared once the game began.
From the outset, D’Tigress dominated, with Murjanatu Musa, Ezinne Kalu, and Amy Okonkwo effectively securing loose balls and shooting with precision.
Nigeria led 18-17 at the end of the first quarter, and by halftime, they had increased their lead to 41-28.
Kalu excelled with her impressive three-point shots, while Murjanatu contributed with blocks and steals that led to turnovers for Nigeria.
Despite a comeback attempt by the Opals in the third quarter and early in the fourth, D’Tigress managed to maintain their lead for a landmark win.
The team’s next match in Group B is against France on Thursday.
Nancy Mbamalu
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