Gallant D’Tigress Fall 88-74 to USA in Quarterfinals

Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, exited the 2024 Olympic Games after an 88-74 defeat by the United States in the quarterfinals of the women’s basketball event on Wednesday.

The USA continued their dominant run towards another title defense, while Nigeria ended their campaign as basketball heroes. D’Tigress exceeded expectations by reaching the last 16, a milestone no other African team has achieved, and hoped to secure a semifinal spot at the expense of the Americans.

Unafraid of the formidable U.S. team, aiming for an eighth consecutive gold medal, Rena Wakama’s squad started strong.

The game opened with A’ja Wilson scoring an early layup for the Americans. D’Tigress quickly responded, leveling the score and showing they were up for the challenge.

After a brief scoring lull, Breanna Stewart ended the drought with a transition layup assisted by Chelsea Gray. Nigeria immediately countered with a layup from Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah, making it 4-4. However, Jackie Young’s early defense and scoring opened a gap that forced D’Tigress to play catch-up for the remainder of the game.

The match at Bercy Arena was far more competitive than the USA’s 56-point win over Nigeria in February’s qualifiers in Belgium. D’Tigress, despite losing the first three quarters, shone in the final quarter with a 26-12 win, earning admiration from basketball fans globally.

The U.S. women’s winning streak, dating back to 1992, spans nine Olympic Games and seven consecutive gold medals.