Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, exited the 2024 Olympic Games after an 88-74 defeat by the United States in the quarterfinals, as reported by The PUNCH.
While the USA continued its pursuit of yet another title defense with business as usual, Nigeria left the tournament as basketball heroes. Surpassing all expectations by reaching the last 16—a milestone no other African team has achieved—the Nigerians aimed to secure a semi-final spot at the expense of the Americans.
Unfazed by the prospect of facing the Americans, who are in search of an unprecedented eighth consecutive gold medal, Rena Wakama’s squad began the game with high spirits.
The Americans won the opening tip-off, with A’ja Wilson scoring an early layup to put them on the board. D’Tigress knew they needed a Herculean effort to dethrone a U.S. team featuring eight players who were top picks in the WNBA draft at various points, but they were determined not to back down and quickly evened the score.
Following a brief scoring lull, Breanna Stewart broke the drought with a transition layup assisted by Chelsea Gray. Nigeria responded swiftly with a layup from Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah to make it 4-4.
Jackie Young, who started strong on defense, scored two quick baskets to open up a lead, forcing D’Tigress to play from behind for the rest of the game. The match at Bercy Arena was far from a repeat of the USA’s 56-point victory over Nigeria during the qualifiers in Belgium in February.
D’Tigress can hold their heads high for their outstanding performance in the final quarter. Despite losing the first three quarters, the African champions shone in the last quarter, securing a 26-12 win and earning admiration from basketball fans across Africa and beyond.
D’Tigress head home after making a significant impact on the global basketball stage. The U.S. women’s winning streak, which began in 1992, now spans nine Olympic Games and includes seven consecutive gold medals.
