D’Tigress of Nigeria secured a historic win against the Opals of Australia with a 75-62 victory in women’s basketball at the Paris Olympics. Point guard Ezinne Kalu led the charge with 19 points and five rebounds, inspiring the Rena Wakama-coached team to withstand a late rally from the Aussies at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium on Monday. This victory marked Nigeria's first Olympic win since Athens 2004.
Australia started strong, quickly taking a 13-5 lead with contributions from Jade Melbourne and Ezi Magbegor. However, D’Tigress, with Kalu’s impressive performance, took control and ended the first quarter ahead 18-17. Kalu’s leadership continued into the second quarter, helping Nigeria extend their lead to 41-28 by halftime, capitalizing on Australia's 16 turnovers.
The Opals, five-time Olympic medalists, fought back in the second half, narrowing the gap to four points by the final quarter. Despite their efforts, critical misses and Nigeria’s strong finish, including key plays by Promise Amukamara and Amy Okonkwo, secured the win for D’Tigress.
Next, D’Tigress will face host France in their Group B match on Thursday, followed by a showdown against world number 5, Canada, next Monday.
