Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress were eliminated from the 2024 Olympic Games after a hard-fought 88-74 loss to the United States in the quarterfinals of the women’s basketball event on Wednesday.
For the USA, it was another step in their ongoing pursuit of a record-breaking eighth consecutive gold medal. However, for Nigeria, this marked the end of an inspiring journey as they exited the tournament as basketball heroes.
D’Tigress had already surpassed expectations by reaching the last 16—a feat no other African team has achieved. They entered the quarterfinals with hopes of upsetting the Americans and advancing to the semifinals.
Undeterred by the formidable U.S. team, which is loaded with talent including eight players who were once No. 1 overall picks in the WNBA draft, Rena Wakama’s squad began the game with determination and energy.
The U.S. opened the scoring with A’ja Wilson making an early layup, but D’Tigress quickly equalized, showing they were not intimidated. After a brief scoring lull, Breanna Stewart broke the deadlock with a transition layup assisted by Chelsea Gray. Nigeria responded immediately with a layup from Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah, keeping the score tight at 4-4.
Despite a strong start, Jackie Young’s early contributions on defense and offense allowed the Americans to pull ahead, forcing Nigeria to play catch-up throughout the game.
The match at the Bercy Arena was far more competitive than the USA’s 56-point blowout over Nigeria during the qualifiers in Belgium back in February. D’Tigress particularly shone in the final quarter, winning it 26-12 and capturing the admiration of basketball fans worldwide.
Although D’Tigress didn’t advance, they returned home having made a significant impact on the global basketball stage, earning respect and admiration for their historic run.
Meanwhile, the U.S. women’s team continues their win streak, which dates back to 1992 and spans nine Olympic Games, underscoring their dominance in the sport.
