By Obi Martins Okafor.
It was a case of just doing enough to secure a sweet victory for the Nigerian Basketball team, D’Tigers.
In the early hours of the Sunday morning, D’ Tigers took to the court to face the Tunisian Basketball team. The game which ended with Nigeria on the winning end saw Alade Aminu scoring 15 points and nine rebounds while Ike Diogu added 13 points and 10 rebounds as Nigeria just beat Tunisia 60-56 in the opening game of the Olympic men’s basketball tournament.
Al-Farouq Aminu, who played for the NBA New Orleans Hornets last season, added 10 points and nine rebounds for the Nigerians, who have not lost to reigning African champion, Tunisia in an international competition since 1987.
Both African sides in the London line-up were both making their Olympic debut in the Group A round-robin contest. The top four teams in each of two groups advance to the medal playoffs.
Nigeria was the last team to qualify for the Olympics, having beaten the Dominican Republic in the qualifying tournament decider to advance after upsetting Greece earlier in that event.
Only three Nigerian players were born in the African nation. The others, including former NBA San Antonio Spur, Diogu, were born in the United States but are of Nigerian heritage.
Tunisian captain Amine Rzig scored 18 points in a losing cause.
The Nigerians seized their largest lead at 29-10 on the way to a 31-15 half-time advantage before Tunisia rallied, scoring 25 points in the fourth quarter and pulling within 56-54 in the final seconds on a Mourad El Mabrouk three-pointer.
With basketball superpowers like the U.S.A, Argentina and Lithuania still to be played, the victory will surely serve as a confident booster for the Bakare led team in subsequent matches.
Team Nigeria finished the 2024 Paralympic Games in France with a total of seven medals after para-powerlifter Folashade Oluwafemiayo created a new world record by lifting 167 kg in the women’s 86 kg category on Sunday, September 9, 2024, to win gold. Read more about Sports The Nigerian beat her world record after outlifting … Continue reading Para-Powerlifter Folashade Oluwafemiayo Sets New World Record
Nigerian Paralympic powerlifting athlete Onyinyechi Mark has set a new world record by lifting an impressive 150 kg in the 61 kg category on Friday, September 6, 2024. Read more about Sports Onyinyechi Mark, 23, out-lifted opponents in the La Chapelle Arena, such as China’s Cui Jianjin, who won silver after lifting 140 kg, … Continue reading Onyinyechi Mark Sets New World Record, Wins Nigeria’s First 2024 Paralympic Gold
The Nigerian women’s national basketball team, D’Tigress, ended their historic outing at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in France after an 88-74 point loss to the United States in the quarterfinals. Read more about Sports Nigeria entered the game after making history as the first African basketball team (male and female) to advance to … Continue reading Gallant D’Tigress Bow Out of the Olympics
D’TigressNigeria women’s national basketball team, D’Tigress, made history by qualifying for the quarterfinals of the Olympic Games for the first time, after beating Canada 79-70 in their final group game at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium on Sunday, August 4, 2024. Read more about Sports Rena Wakama’s ladies went into the game as underdogs against a … Continue reading D’Tigress Make Olympic History After Beating Canada