Nigeria’s D’Tigress roar to historic Olympic quarterfinals at Paris 2024
Ezinne Kalu #23 of Team Nigeria celebrates victory during the Women’s Group Phase - Group match against Team Canada on day 9 of the Paris 2024 at Pierre Mauroy Stadium on August 04, 2024 in Lille, France. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
PARIS, August 4, 2024 – At the Paris 2024 Olympics, the Nigeria women’s basketball team has proven to be an incredible symbol of resilience and this was accentuated further by their historic quarter-finals qualification on Sunday, following a 79-70 come-from-behind victory over Canada, ranked fifth in the world. No African team, male or female, had ever reached the last eight of the Olympics basketball tournament until today. Surely, the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille could not contain the celebration that followed, especially the screaming.
Phenomenal Ezinna Kalu scored 21 points to lead the six-time African champions past Canada, with Elizabeth Balogun adding 14 points, and Promise Amukamara contributing 12. The D’Tigress will play their quarter-final match on Wednesday in Bercy Arena in Paris on the banks of the Seine River. While Canada have been eliminated after losing their three group games.
SO PROUD “I’m so proud of us. I’m so proud of our team and our grit. The last game didn’t go the way we wanted. Even the first half (of this game), we were not doing what we wanted to come out and do," said Amy Okonkwo, who hurt her right shoulder early in the second quarter but returned for the third quarter, when Nigeria opened with a 13-1 run.
"At half time, we had a talk with ourselves, and it was win or go home, and we decided that we wanted to win and stay. We locked in, and we showed more of our identity in that second half and that third quarter really changed the game for us.”
SILENCING DOUBTERS In spite of the challenges that plagued their preparation for the Games, being the least ranked in the 12-team tournament and being denied access to the opening ceremony boat on July 26, Rena Wakama’s girls have not only silenced doubters with their performances, but also done so in astonishing fashion. The big question when the team arrived in France was if it would be able to get its first Olympic victory since the 2004 Athens Games.
TEAM AFRICA Following the exit of South Sudan from the men’s tournament yesterday, all the continent’s hopes now rested on Nigeria’s D’Tigress and they did not disappoint. And they are not done yet. Coach Wakama had emphasised after the game against France:“I didn’t come here to win only one game. I came here to get on the podium."
Speaking about the victory against Canada, coach Wakama said: “Trust the process. Keep going. Keep fighting. Keep pushing. I've been a fighter. I've always been a fighter growing up, and you can’t tell me I can't do something because I'm gonna prove to you that I can.”
Phenomenal Ezinna Kalu scored 21 points to lead the six-time African champions past Canada, with Elizabeth Balogun adding 14 points, and Promise Amukamara contributing 12. The D’Tigress will play their quarter-final match on Wednesday in Bercy Arena in Paris on the banks of the Seine River. While Canada have been eliminated after losing their three group games.
SO PROUD “I’m so proud of us. I’m so proud of our team and our grit. The last game didn’t go the way we wanted. Even the first half (of this game), we were not doing what we wanted to come out and do," said Amy Okonkwo, who hurt her right shoulder early in the second quarter but returned for the third quarter, when Nigeria opened with a 13-1 run.
"At half time, we had a talk with ourselves, and it was win or go home, and we decided that we wanted to win and stay. We locked in, and we showed more of our identity in that second half and that third quarter really changed the game for us.”
SILENCING DOUBTERS In spite of the challenges that plagued their preparation for the Games, being the least ranked in the 12-team tournament and being denied access to the opening ceremony boat on July 26, Rena Wakama’s girls have not only silenced doubters with their performances, but also done so in astonishing fashion. The big question when the team arrived in France was if it would be able to get its first Olympic victory since the 2004 Athens Games.
"No matter what happens off the court, this is our job and we have to take care of business on the court. No matter what we had to go through, the adversity, we were still able to come out on top," said Nicole Enabosi. "It shows the magic behind basketball."
SHOCKING THE WORLD First, they shocked third-ranked Australia 75-62, winning all but the third quarter, and today they beat Canada by nine points after a dominant third quarter, where they scored 23 points and restricted the Canadians to only 5 points. In between was the defeat to hosts France, of which coach Wakama said: “We didn’t play our game. We were not ourselves.”TEAM AFRICA Following the exit of South Sudan from the men’s tournament yesterday, all the continent’s hopes now rested on Nigeria’s D’Tigress and they did not disappoint. And they are not done yet. Coach Wakama had emphasised after the game against France:“I didn’t come here to win only one game. I came here to get on the podium."
Speaking about the victory against Canada, coach Wakama said: “Trust the process. Keep going. Keep fighting. Keep pushing. I've been a fighter. I've always been a fighter growing up, and you can’t tell me I can't do something because I'm gonna prove to you that I can.”
She added: “I hope young girls are watching this. I don't want to be the last. I'm the first, but I should not be the last.
"If we invest in Africa, we're capable of doing amazing things, but we gotta put some eyes on Africa and develop the game there. It starts with grassroots, and, if we're able to do so, the game will be so much better.”
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