Nigeria's women's basketball team cannot seem to take two steps without being hit with some adversity or the other. Yet, they continue to make history for themselves and their country with every one of those adversity-laden steps.
On Monday, the lowest-ranked team in the Olympic women's basketball tournament opened their campaign with a stunning 75-62 upset victory over No. 3 Australia. D'Tigress not only won but did so in emphatic style, winning three of four quarters, including a sensational 11-0 run that helped them to a 13-point lead in the first quarter. In doing so, they became the first African team to defeat the Opals in 12 games at a major tournament, including the World Cup.
Nigeria had never before won a pool game at the Olympic Games ; their nine previous pool games all ended in defeat, and their only win, 20 years ago, came in a classification game against South Korea, whom they defeated 68-64. Their 62 points allowed is also the lowest they have given up in world competition. But that is not all.
D'Tigress made a combined nine 3-pointers, more than in any of their previous nine games at the Olympics; they also made 15 steals, a joint-high for them in the competition, tied with the 15 they made against Greece in 2004.
Returning veteran Ezinne Kalu, who last previously played for the team three years ago at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, was the phenomenal engine driving the team, producing a game-high 19 points to go with five rebounds and five assists. She drained four three-pointers, the first Nigerian player to do so in an Olympic tournament.
The entire performance reflected a fighting team effort, reflecting their journey to these Games that has been pockmarked with setbacks.
First, they lost captain Sarah Ogoke, who was forced to withdraw from the tournament for as yet unexplained "personal reasons". Then, the players were denied entry on the Nigeria float for the opening ceremony on the Seine. Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) officials had failed to communicate to the team that the 88-person Nigeria contingent was only given 41 passes, with football and basketball, based outside of Paris, excluded. And so the basketball team made a near three-hour trip from Lille only to be denied access -- albeit five players were allowed to join the float.
Nigeria Basketball Federation president Musa Kida was also denied access to visit the team on the eve of their opening game even though he is credentialed for the Games; the NOC, which is in charge of athletes at the Olympics, did not provide a pass for him to see the team.
No strangers to pitfalls in their way, the girls banded together for their game against the Opals.
"It feels so good," forward Amy Okonkwo said. "We stuck together and we came together in adversity. This is what it is all about; you fight."
A measure of that fight was the number of turnovers they forced from Australia, who coughed up the ball an unbelievable 26 times -- from which D'Tigress harvested 26 points. That defence proved to be the foundation for victory.
"Our defence was relentless," Kalu said. "When we are on the court, we smell blood. Nobody defends quite like us, and that is what keeps us going."
Australia were never going to just roll over, especially not against the lowest-ranked team in the competition, and they fought back in the second half -- winning the third quarter 19-10. Australia reduced the margin to two points in the fourth quarter, but Okonkwo drained a dagger three in the heat of battle as the Nigerians held their nerve.
"Australia came out in the second half with their veterans and an amazing coach who knows what she's doing," Kalu said. "But we kept our foot on the gas and kept on going.
"This really means a lot for our country. Today we made a statement that we are not going to give up and, no matter what country we play, we are going to play our basketball."
Coach Rena Wakama, whose game management helped to see the team over the line, was "a wave of emotions" after the game.
"I am so proud and excited for this group," Wakem said. "I've got a lot of girls that are hungry, and really shocked the world. "We are tough. It's in our DNA. It's who we are; we don't back down and I just want to bring a lot of energy and passion."
With France and Canada to come in the group games, D'Tigress have given themselves a good chance of writing themselves another great chapter in the history books.
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