Joe
Lille, France – Nigeria women’s basketball team popularly known as D’Tigress began their medal campaign at the Paris 2024 Olympics with a surprising 75-62 win over to Australia at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium on Monday.
Despite Alanna Smith’s top-scoring effort of 15 points and contributions from Sami Whitcomb and Jade Melbourne with 13 and 12 points respectively, the Opals, ranked third in the world, were outplayed by the 12th-ranked Nigerian team.
Ezinne Kalu led Nigeria with 19 points and five rebounds, orchestrating a memorable victory for her team.
Australia, under coach Sandy Brondello, started the game with urgency, dominating Nigeria in the early minutes. Led by Jade Melbourne and Ezi Magbegor, the Opals surged to a 13-5 lead.
However, Nigeria, in their second consecutive Summer Games, fought back with Kalu leading their charge.
By the end of the first quarter, Nigeria edged ahead 18-17, thanks to Kalu’s 11 points, including three three-pointers.
The second quarter saw Nigeria extend their lead, with Amy Okonkwo and Elizabeth Balogun adding to Australia’s troubles. At halftime, Nigeria held a surprising 41-28 lead, capitalizing on 16 turnovers by the Opals compared to their own eight.
Needing a strong second half, the five-time Olympic medallists began to chip away at Nigeria’s lead, with Smith spearheading the effort. Entering the final quarter, Australia trailed by just four points, making it a tight contest.
In a tense final quarter, the Opals narrowed the gap to two points with just over six minutes remaining.
However, a series of missed opportunities, including two missed free throws by Smith, allowed Nigeria to pull away. Promise Amukamara converted her free throws and assisted Okonkwo for a three-pointer, pushing Nigeria’s lead to seven points.
This decisive run enabled Nigeria to control the closing minutes and secure the win.
Australia will face world No. 5 Canada in their next Group B match on Thursday, followed by a showdown against hosts France, the Tokyo 2020 bronze medallists, next Monday.
To advance to the quarter-finals of the Paris 2024 Olympics, the Opals need to finish in the top two of their group.
