• Nigeria lose 74-88 to USA

The D’Tigress bowed out of the Paris 2024  Women’s Basketball event but not without a fight as they lost  a closely fought encounter  74-88  to Team USA.

The coach Rena Wakama-led side  only on Sunday  became the first African side – male or female – to reach the quarter-finals of an Olympic Games after beating Canada in their final group game.

Last night, the Americans raced in front  in the first quarter with  26 to 19 points and followed up with an identical  26 points as against the D’Tigress  16 in a pulsating gritty encounter in the second quarter.

Ezinne Kanu  and Murijanatu Musa  proved pivotal to Nigeria’s aspirations  yet the D’Tigress  were back on the back foot in the third  quarter  losing  15-24. 

Remarkably, the D’Tigress  showed  their  strength in depth  in the last quarter with an amazing  26 points as against America’s 12.

But  it was a case of too little, too late as the Americans  won the encounter  88-74.

 Defeat notwithstanding, the D’Tigress  can be proud of their achievement at this Paris 2024  Olympics  as they earned  huge salutation  for their gusty performance  against the Americans who progressed to the semi-finals.