The D'Tigress of Nigeria beat the Opals of Australia in their opening match at the ongoing 2024 Paris Olympics.
In a thrilling display, the Rena Wakama-led women defeated the Australians 75-62 on Monday at Pierre Mauroy Stadium.
This was the team's first Olympic title since 2004 in Athens.
The African side put on a great display, taking advantage of Australian turnovers to win in front of yet another huge audience in Lille.
With a stunning 11-0 run to close off the first half, Nigeria had a 13-point lead going into the locker rooms.
That proved to be sufficient for them to cross the finish line, and although the Opals did cut the deficit to one point with four minutes left in the final frame, Amy Okonkwo calmed the fears of the Nigerians by nailing a massive three to bring them back on track.
Other than the heroics of the entire Nigerian squad, this will go down in history. But without a question, Ezinne Kalu was the class act that led them to this unforgettable triumph. The playmaker was on fire, finishing with 19 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. She hasn't played for her country since Tokyo 2020.
Nigeria scored a whopping 26 points from turnovers as a result of Australia spilling the ball an incredible 26 times during the match. Particularly in the first half, when they nearly gave their opponents a point every minute from that source, it made all the difference.
Considering their slow start, Nigeria was excellent. Their triumph might prove to be the cherry on top of the forecasts regarding Group B, since their defence was exceptionally strong. They made a significant contribution to African basketball.
Australia essentially threw away any hope of a victory as they seemed disorganised and their guards were unable to handle the ball pressure.
