Nigeria Shocks Australia in Olympic Women’s Basketball Opener

Nigeria made a stunning start to their women’s basketball campaign at the Olympics by defeating Australia 75-62 at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in France. This victory was especially sweet for Nigeria, as it marked their first win in Olympic women’s basketball since 2004.

Ezinne Kalu was a standout star for Nigeria, scoring 19 points, with 17 of those coming in a spectacular first half. In contrast, Australia’s Alanna Smith led her team with 15 points, but the day turned out to be sobering for the Australians, ranked third in the world.

Australia started strong, securing a 13-5 lead early in the game. However, Nigeria quickly found their rhythm, thanks in no small part to Kalu’s three-pointer skills, finishing the first quarter ahead by one point, 18-17.

As the game progressed, turnovers became a significant issue for Australia, who notched up an astonishing 26 throughout the match. This lack of control contributed to Nigeria’s surprising 41-28 lead by halftime.

Despite facing a tough challenge, the Opals fought back in the second half, narrowing the gap to just two points. Yet, a flurry of failures, including missed free throws by Smith, turned the tide back in Nigeria’s favor, allowing them to finish stronger and claim a significant victory.

The win was celebrated with cheers from the fans and a feeling of immense pride among the Nigerian team, who had faced challenges leading up to the Olympics. They hope this momentum continues as they look forward to facing Canada in their next group match.