Nigeria have clinched qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympics and secured back to back appearances at the showpiece event, having also featured last time at Tokyo 2020.
Despite losing to a formidable opponent in USA earlier in the day, a subsequent victory by Belgium over Senegal was enough to wrap up a ticket to Paris with a game to spare in Antwerp. Nigeria had earlier secured victory over Senegal on Thursday.
USA made light work of taking down Nigeria at the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Antwerp as they turned up the heat by beating the African side 100-46.
- AFCON: Tinubu to attend final in Cote d’Ivoire
- Ban on small sachet beverages, act of economic sabotage — NECA
The second quarter was when USA put their foot on the accelerator and rammed it firmly to the floor. They posted a power-packed 32-7 period that sunk any hopes Nigeria had of staying in the contest.
Sabrina Ionescu was arguably the pick of the crop for USA and finished with a nice haul of 9 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds. USA were plus 52 with her in the game.
“Tonight was great and we settled in really well .The first group got us going and that set the tone for the rest of the game. Every game is competitive and we take no game lightly. We focus on execution and details. Every game is a game to get better and that is how we see it,” noted USA guard, Jewell Loyd
“We had a couple of things that we wanted to improve on as we moved through this tournament. Each day we are together we are trying to expand what we do. Our guard play was exceptional. (Kelsey) Plum played limited minutes but had 9 assists and then Sabrina (Ionescu) had 8 as well. We did a good job with our communication,” added USA Head Coach, Cheryl Reeve.
Nigeria player, Elizabeth Balogun, believed the team will get better from the experience of playing against the USA team.
“Against teams like USA you have to be focused from the jump and you can’t slack at all. I am still proud of my girls. We have a long way to go and have a lot of improving to do,” she said.
However, Nigeria head coach, Rene Wakama, felt her girls didn’t play with enough hunger for victory.
She said, “It was a rough one. We didn’t execute what we were looking for. I challenge my girls to play with fire and focus but we lacked that. We came back in the second half with more fight but by that point it was too late.”
Now, the pivotal question arises: Can Nigeria get a victory when they step out on French soil, having fallen short of that aim in the Japanese capital three years ago?
