Nigeria’s female basketball team D’Tigress lost 74-88 in their quarter-final match against the defending champions US women’s basketball team to end their fairytale run at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Wednesday night.
Though Nigeria kept the score close in the first quarter and outscored the world number one team in the fourth quarter, the American team showed their depth once again to win the game.
The quarterfinal was a close match when compared to the last time both teams met at the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Antwerp, Belgium in February this year, where the USA women’s team won 100-46.
D’Tigress’ Promise Amukamara led the Nigerian team with 19 points in the quarterfinal game.
Despite the loss, D’Tigress exit Paris Olympics with unforgettable memories after a record run.
They are the first African basketball team (male or female) to reach the quarter finals of the Olympics and also the first to win two matches in the Olympics, beating Australia 75-62 and Canada 79-70 in the group stages, only losing to France 75-54 in their other Group C game.
Australia and Canada ranked number three and five respectively before the Paris Games.
After their historic run in Paris, D’Tigress rose four places in the FIBA power rankings to move to 8th position on the list.
Nigeria’s coach Rena Wakama, who has done a remarkable job with the team since taking over the reins in June 2023, commended her team for an impressive performance at the Paris Games.
“We just have to learn and grow. I have a super young team. We’ve only been together for a year. A lot of these kids — a few of them have played at this level, but some of them haven’t. Just continue to get some experience. Go to more tournaments and spend more time to drum that chemistry together.
“We need more time. The skill is there, the fight, the heart is there, but we just need more time together,” Wakama said.
USA will play Australia in the first Women’s Olympic Basketball semi-finals in Paris, while France will play Belgium in the other game on Friday, August 9.
