Nigeria pulled off a famous shock win against Australia as they took down the Opals 75-62 in their opening game of the Women’s Olympic Basketball Tournament Paris 2024.
It was a sensational performance by the African side as they capitalized on Australian turnovers to take victory in front of another huge crowd in Lille.
Nigeria posted a spectacular 11-0 run to finish the first half and that gave them a 13-point cushion heading to the locker rooms.
That proved enough for them to get over the line and when the Opals did make it a one-shot game in the last period with four minutes remaining, Amy Okonkwo settled Nigerian nerves with a huge triple to get them rolling again.
Nigeria made nine 3-pointers today, more than in any of their previous nine games at the Olympics; they also made 15 steals, a joint-high for them in the competition (also 15 v Greece in 2004).
This won’t be remembered for any heroics other than those performed by the entire Nigerian team.
Australia spilled the ball a staggering 26 times in the game and that handed Nigeria a huge 26 points from turnovers.
It was a difference-maker and especially in the first half when they almost handed their opponents a point per minute from that source.
“It feels so good. We stuck together and we came together in adversity. This is what it is all about – you fight,” Nigeria forward Amy Okonkwo said.
“We turned the ball over way too much and we were not ready to step up to the physicality of the game. Turning the ball over though was the crux of the game,” Opals’ forward, Alanna Smith, lamented.
This is Nigeria’s only second win in the Women’s Olympic Basketball tournament, after their success 68-64 against South Korea in 2004; it is however their first win in nine games in the preliminary round.
They conceded only 62 points today, fewer than in any of their previous games in the competition.
