Ezinne Kalu led Nigeria to a historic 75-62 victory over Australia in their Olympic group play opener, marking Nigeria’s first women’s basketball win at the Olympics since 2004. Kalu scored 17 of her 19 points in the first half, making her first four 3-pointers.
Despite not qualifying for the 2016 Rio Games and going winless in Tokyo, Nigeria, ranked 12th in the world, managed to upset third-ranked Australia, coached by Sandy Brondello of the WNBA’s New York Liberty. Fans inside Pierre Mauroy Stadium cheered Nigeria’s final seconds, and the team celebrated joyously at midcourt.
Promise Amukamara added 14 points for Nigeria, with Amy Okonkwo and Murjanatu Musa contributing 13 and 11 points, respectively. The Nigerians led 41-28 at halftime after scoring the final 11 points of the second quarter.
Australia’s Opals, missing forward Bec Allen due to a pre-Olympic injury, started strong but struggled with turnovers and free throws. Alanna Smith led the Opals with 15 points, while Sami Whitcomb and Jade Melbourne added 13 and 11 points. Despite a late rally, Australia could not overcome Nigeria’s lead, ultimately falling short.
This win comes as a significant boost for Nigeria, who faced setbacks, including being denied access to their country’s boat during the opening ceremony. The victory also reflects a challenging start for several top-ranked teams in women’s basketball, with China, Belgium, and Canada all suffering losses in the first round of group play.
