Nigeria moves to 8th on FIBA ranking
Nigeria’s path to the medals zone of women’s basketball at the ongoing Paris 2024 Olympic Games continues to get harder by the draw. Following a giant-killing spree in the group phase, where the female national team, D’Tigressdefeated world number three, Australia and fifth-ranked Canada, the D’Tigress have been handed what appears their biggest test yet at the games with a quarterfinal pairing against world number one and defending champions, the United States.
The game comes up tomorrow, in Paris, where the basketball action has moved to after the preliminary round, in Lille. The game, which is Nigeria’s first-ever appearance in the knockout stage, is the type of challenge the brave-hearted crave. And in Ezinne Kalu, Amy Okonkwo, Pallas Kunaiyi Akpana, Elizabeth Balogun, Promise Amukamara, and Marjunatu Musa, the D’Tigress have enough fearless women to stand anything the world champions throw at them. But it would not be easy.
The match presents another opportunity for the United States to maintain their unbeaten run on French soil on their way to their 10th Olympic title.
Propelled by the eye-catching form of A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart, the Americans have been impeccable in these Games.
Meanwhile, the D’Tigress’ imperial performances at the Games have earned them a leap in the latest FIBA world rankings. From their pre-Olympics 12th position, the D’Tigress have jumped to number eight by the latest ranking.
FIBA said Nigeria has completely shredded the second volume of the power rankings by making history in Paris. According to FIBA, D’Tigress has been propelled by their impressive defense. Top of the steals chart, always contesting everything, hustling like their lives depended on it, D’Tigress talked about being warriors after the FIBA women’s Olympic qualifying tournament 2024 and they delivered.
It said the re-integration of Kalu has been a game-changer as she has been amazing, but it doesn’t feel like much of a reward for their historic work that they now face the USA in the last eight. Other matches slated for Wednesday are* Serbia against Australia, Spain versus Belgium, and Germany against France.
