"Thank you for brightening our darkness": Fans react after Nigeria stuns Australia in Olympics Women's Basketball

By Nandjee Ranjan

Modified Jul 29, 2024 14:14 GMT

Basketball fans reacted to the Nigeria Women's Basketball Team upsetting Australia in the Olympics Women's Basketball. The D'Tigress defeated the Opals 75-62 to open their Olympic run.

This is the first time in 20 years that the Nigerian women's team has won a game at the Olympics. Reacting to FIBA's post on X, "formerly known as "Twitter," some fans were ecstatic with the win and thanked the team for making Africa proud.

"Well done amazing Amazons. Thank you for brightening our darkness with your strides and success. We don't deserve you," a fan wrote.

"We are Africans. Can’t be happier for you Nigeria. Thanks for making africa proud," another fan wrote.

Some fans credited that win to D'Tigress' coach.

Some pointed out that the D'Tigress were four-time African champions and they had the caliber to beat any team at the event.

"Not an upset. These girls can actually beat the best in the world. They are very good," a fan wrote.

“They are not 4 times African Champions for nothing you know!! Super proud of the DTigress!🔥👏🏽😍,” a fan wrote.

“NOT an upset, Nigerians 🇳🇬 D’Tigress are superior to Australian 🇦🇺 Opal in all department. Fix your rating matrix/system asap,” a fan wrote.

“This isn’t just an upset, it’s a glimpse into the future of basketball! 🌍 Nigeria’s victory could be a turning point for global basketball dynamics. What a time to be a fan,” an fan wrote.

What led to Australia’s upset against Nigeria?

The biggest factor in the Australian team’s upset was the suffocating defense by the D'Tigress players. The Nigerian team put immense pressure on the Opals’ guards.

The entire Australian team turned the ball over 26 times throughout the game. Moreover, the D'Tigress largely capitalized on the opportunity. They scored 26 points off of those turnovers. In the first half, the Nigerian team averaged one point per minute.

"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," Australian forward, Alanna Smith said.

Just before the first half ended, the D'Tigress were on an 11-0 run. This proved too heavy for the Opals to handle. Any time they tried to cut the lead, D'Tigress responded and took away their chance to win the game.

With four minutes remaining, the Australians did cut the lead to two points, but a three-pointer from Amy Okonkwo took away that chance and gave them a five-point lead.

The Opals' next Group B match will be against Canada on Thursday, followed by a duel with hosts France on Monday.