Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, made history on Monday by defeating the third-ranked Australia Opals 72-70 in their opening game at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium.
Despite underwhelming performances in their lead-up matches, the Rena Wakama-coached team displayed incredible resilience and determination throughout the contest.
A strong start saw D’Tigress match Australia’s intensity in the first quarter, taking a narrow 18-17 lead. The second quarter belonged to Nigeria as they outscored the Opals by 13 points, going into halftime with a comfortable 41-28 advantage.
Australia mounted a spirited comeback in the third quarter, outscoring D’Tigress 19-10 to reduce the deficit to four points. However, the Nigerians held their nerve in a thrilling final quarter to secure the historic victory.
Ezinne Kalu led the way for D’Tigress with a game-high 19 points, complemented by five assists, five rebounds, and three steals. Amy Amukamara also impressed with 14 points, six rebounds, nine assists, and four steals, while Amy Okonkwo contributed 13 points.
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