Nigeria make Olympic basketball history after shock win over Canada

Shina Oludare

Nigeria beat highly-rated Canada 79-70 in the basketball on Sunday to make Olympic history at the ongoing Games in Paris. In the process, D'Tigress became the first African team, male or female, to reach the competition’s quarter-final.

The reigning African queens scored the first six points of the game with Ezinne Kalu contributing 21 points, while Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpannah had seven rebounds to her name.

Despite hurting her right shoulder early in the second quarter, captain Amy Okonkwo returned in the third quarter to help the African silence Victor Lapena’s ladies – whose best outing at the Olympics remains a fourth-place finish at Los Angeles 1984.

Also making writing her name in history books is coach Rena Wakama. The 32-year-old became the first coach in history to lead any African team to an Olympic quarter-final since 1936.

“It’s surreal and I don’t think it’s going to hit me yet for another couple of hours,” Wakama told the media per FIBA.com.

“I am proud of my girls and I have pushed them so hard. I have pushed them harder than anyone can even imagine. It’s because I know what they can do and we did that today and we showed them who we are.

“It’s about every little detail and I make them start over (if not done right), I make them do everything right for these reasons. So, in crunch time and in pressure situations, we can execute when our backs are up against the wall.”

The reigning African champions began the Paris Games on a flying note, upsetting world number three Australia 75–62 in a thrilling encounter inside Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille.

However, they then succumbed to the superior firepower of hosts France, but have now booked a place in the last eight.

Notwithstanding, they finished third in Group B to qualify for the last eight as one of the third-best teams as Australia caged France 79–72 on Sunday night.

Nigeria have been drawn against reigning Olympic champions United States in the quarter-finals. There, they will be aiming to go a step further by qualifying for the semi-final on Wednesday.

Cheryl Reeve’s team are unbeaten so far thanks to victories over Japan, Germany and Belgium in Group C.

Nigeria were winless at the Tokyo Games in 2020, losing to France, Japan and the United States of America.

In 2022, they missed out on playing at the FIBA World Cup despite qualifying due to an internal strife between the Nigeria Basketball Federation and the Ministry of Sports headed by Sunday Dare.

In all matches played, D'Tigress have forced a total of 69 turnovers against their opponents, while they have managed 40 steals, averaging over 13 steals per game.