Nigeria and Afro-Basket Champions, DTigress, defeated World Number Three, Australia 75- 62 in the Paris 2024 Basketball Olympic Opener on Monday Morning.
The No. 3-ranked Australians struggled with turnovers and poor free-throw shooting, committing 26 turnovers and making just eight of 18 free throws.
Nigeria, ranked 12th in the world, capitalized on Australia’s mistakes, executing a high-pressure defense and making their shots from long range. This victory marks Nigeria’s greatest Olympic basketball win to date.
Lauren Jackson, participating in her fifth Olympics at age 43, scored six points and grabbed two rebounds in 12 minutes. The loss puts a significant dent in Jackson’s hopes for a fifth Olympic medal.
The Opals, without a medal in their last two Olympic campaigns, started strong with an 8-2 lead but quickly unraveled. The Nigerian defense forced numerous turnovers, and the Australians struggled to find their rhythm. Nigeria led 41-28 at halftime, with Ezinne Kalu scoring 19 points.
Despite a brief comeback in the third quarter, where triples from Sami Whitcomb and Alanna Smith (who finished with 15 points and seven rebounds) helped cut the deficit to five points, the Opals couldn’t sustain their momentum. Missed free throws and turnovers continued to plague the team.
In the final term, a Jackson fumble and a deep three-pointer from Nigeria’s Elizabeth Balogun created a five-point swing. Nigerian captain Amy Okonkwo sealed the victory with a crucial three-pointer, leading to an emotional celebration for Nigeria after the final whistle.
The Opals face a challenging path ahead, needing strong performances against world No. 5 Canada on Thursday and No. 7 France on Sunday to secure a spot in the quarter-finals.
