Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, concluded their remarkable journey at the Paris 2024 Olympics with a valiant effort in the quarterfinals, falling to the United States 88-74 on Wednesday.
Facing the dominant U.S. team, which has nine Olympic gold medals under its belt, D’Tigress showed no fear, matching their opponents point for point in the opening minutes. Promise Amukamara, who led the Nigerian side with 19 points, quickly tied the game at 2-2 after an early basket from U.S. star A’ja Wilson.
However, the Americans soon pulled ahead, finishing the first quarter with a 26-17 lead. Despite D’Tigress narrowing the gap to six points in the second quarter, the U.S. extended their lead to 50-31 by halftime, thanks to strong performances from Wilson, who finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds, and Jackie Young, who added 15 points.
In the third quarter, the U.S. pushed their advantage further, outscoring Nigeria 24-15. But the Nigerian team refused to back down, staging an impressive comeback in the final quarter. They outscored the Americans 26-12, thrilling fans with their resilience and determination.
Though the comeback fell short, D’Tigress exited the tournament with pride, having made history as the first African team, male or female, to reach the Olympic basketball quarterfinals. The U.S. team, now just two wins away from a 10th consecutive gold medal, will face Australia in the semifinals.
D’Tigress’ performance in Paris has earned them global admiration, and they leave the Olympics with their heads held high, having paved the way for future generations of African basketball players.
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