D’Tigress Shock Canada to Record Olympic History

By Damola Emmanuel

With Ezinne Kalu playing her usual catalytic point-poaching role, registering 21 points, Nigeria’s female basketball team, D’Tigress, on Sunday, hit Canada 79-70 to record a historic feat of being the first African team (male or female) to secure a quarter-final berth in any Olympic Games.

D’Tigress, four consecutive winners of the FIBA Afrobasket tournament, set their centre in Lille on fire with their scintillating performance to send Canada packing and advance to the quarter-finals.

The Afrobasket champions had tied 18-18 in the first quarter and narrowly lost the second by four points, ending it 23-19. But they won the third quarter resoundingly with a massive 18-point lead at 5-23.Though the  African champions lost the fourth quarter with 19-24, the five-points difference wasn’t enough to obstruct their historic run.

It was also the first time D’Tigress would win two games at the Olympics. But Sunday’s victory was sweeter than honey because of the unassailable manner they issued the Canadians a return ticket to Ottawa, the capital city of Canada.

The African champions left no one in doubt that they meant business, seizing the initiative from the Canadians very early in the game, securing a stunning 11-0 run to start the second half. That left their opponents confused and dazed. And much as Canada struggled to regain their balance, they never recovered.

Playmaker, Ezinne Kalu, was hugely pivotal to the historic win by pulling the strings in the backcourt.

She scored 21 points while Elizabeth Balogun, who also had the best game of her life, registered 14 points, three rebounds and three assists.

D’Tigress were in killing mode as they punished Canadian errors with spectacular 27 points from turnovers. And with their rugged defence, a great improvement from what the world saw in their encounter with France, the African Champons seem to have sent a strong signal to whoever cares to watch and listen that they are ready to stand their ground against any team in their present quest for Olympic glory.

France 2024 might just be the magical moment of revelation for the D’Tigress.