Nigerian Women Create History as First African Team to Reach Olympic Basketball Quarter-Finals

On Sunday, Nigeria’s women’s basketball team made history by becoming the first African team, male or female, to advance to the quarter-finals of an Olympic basketball tournament.

The Nigerian squad secured their spot in the last eight with a 79-70 victory over Canada at the Pierre-Mauroy Stadium near Lille. This win guarantees Nigeria a top-three finish in Group B, while the Canadian team was eliminated without a win.

The Nigerian team dominated the third quarter with a 23-5 run. US-born Ezinne Kalu led the scoring with 21 points, and Elizabeth Balogun contributed 14 points.

The women’s quarter-final draw will be conducted later on Sunday, with matches scheduled to take place on Wednesday.

The knockout rounds of the basketball tournament will be held in Paris.