In the second set of Group B games on Thursday, Nigeria and France will play for group supremacy, as both teams won their openers. While France’s victory over Canada might have been expected, Nigeria’s win over Australia certainly was not expected.
If you’re a fan of the EuroLeague, you were not surprised by how good of a showing Gabby Williams (12 points, eight assists, five steals), Marième Badiane or Janelle Salaün had against Canada. France sit at the top of the table thanks to scoring the same amount of points as Nigeria, but holding Canada to just 54 points.
How D’Tigress stunned the Opals
Nigeria will be looking for another upset after winning 75-62 against Australia. After some hesitation at the beginning of their first game, D’Tigress picked up the pace and entered halftime up by 13 points. 19 of their 41 points came off turnovers, which the Opals committed in bunches. No team can expect to have the lead after losing the ball 16 times during a half! The play of that time period, if not the whole game, was Murjanatu Musa’s block on Ezi Magbegor as the Seattle Storm big was driving to the basket. In the second half, Australia tried to regain control over the game, but missed field goals and free throws, as well as 10 more turnovers, didn’t help their cause. Nigeria’s hustle was unmatched on that day; they simply wanted it more.
During Swish Appeal’s interview with Ify Okoro before the Olympics, she said:
We enjoy basketball and we are coming to put a stamp on our name, you know, just to make Africa proud. Take it one game at a time. Just focus on executing. That’s the thing. We are just gonna come and do our thing and try to win as much games as we can.
Their tenacity would be enough to do that, but by playing their game, they were able to shock the world.
What’s next?
Now, the Opals are in a must-win situation, which is bad for them, but good for us casual viewers, who will get to see them meet Canada in a potential barn-burner. The result of that game depends on efficiency. Canada must shoot better from long distance than their 5-of-18 performance against France. They’re capable of that, just as much as the Opals are of executing better than they did against Nigeria. If they play like they did in the second half, we’ll be in for a tight, exciting contest.
Game information
Australia vs. Canada
When: Thursday, August 1 at 7:30 a.m. ET
Where: Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France
How to watch: Peacock, nbcolympics.com
France vs. Nigeria
When: Thursday, August 1 at 11:15 a.m. ET
Where: Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France
How to watch: Peacock, nbcolympics.com
