France Overcomes D’Tigress in Olympic Basketball Showdown

Nigeria’s D’Tigress faced their first loss at the Paris 2024 Olympics, falling 75-54 to France in their second Group C game on Thursday, NIGERIA NEWS 247 reports.

After a dominant 75-54 victory over Australia in their opener, D’Tigress hoped to secure another win, but were stifled by a formidable French defense. Ezinne Kalu stood out once again, delivering a strong performance with 18 points, though support was limited outside of Murjanatu Liman Musa’s 14 points.

France’s Gabby Williams led her team with 14 points, seven assists, and six steals, while Marine Johannes contributed 15 points. France’s defense proved effective, matching their opening game’s performance by limiting Nigeria to the same score they held Canada to.

France’s height advantage was evident as they shot 22-of-35 from inside the paint, and their aggressive play saw them commit 14 fouls and secure 13 steals.

Despite the setback, D’Tigress remains in contention with a 1-1 record, alongside Australia, while Canada is yet to secure a win. Rena Wakama’s team will look to secure a historic knockout berth when they face Canada on Saturday, while France aims to complete a perfect group stage against Australia.