The women basketball team from Nigeria have lost their third group game at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics 102-83 against hosts Japan, exiting the competition in the process.
1st News reports that D’Tigress, as the side is fondly called, lost all three group games.
The development has made Nigeria the latest African country to fail to win a game in the Olympics. Nigeria was the last team from the continent to be victorious in the Olympics; when the team won one of its matches in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
Victoria Macaulay scored 18 to lead the scoring for Nigeria.
However, the team from Nigeria were outscored by the Japanese. Saki Hayashi scored 23 points to lead Japan into the quarterfinals on Monday in the final pool play game for both teams.
Yuki Miyazwa added 19 points for the host nation, which made 19 3-pointers in the game.
Match reports put together by Daily Mail indicate that Japan got off to a fast start from the field; making seven of its first nine 3-point attempts to go up 30-22 after the first quarter. But Nigeria cut the deficit to 38-36 before Japan scored 13 straight points to take control. Hayashi had consecutive 3-pointers sandwiched around a steal of the inbounds pass in between them. She had 20 points in the half, hitting six 3-pointers.
Equally important, Japan led 51-38 at halftime after hitting 12 of its 19 3-point attempts in the opening 20 minutes.
However, the Japanese team didn’t cool off much in the second half as Nigeria never was able to get back in the game.
Meanwhile, Akwa United Football Club of Uyo on Sunday won the 2020/2021 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), with one round of matches to go in the 38-week competition.
The 25-year-old club have thus claimed their first premier league title.
Akwa United pulled off the feat after beating MFM FC of Lagos 5-2 in their week 37 match. The resounding victory took the side to 71 points and an unassailable lead in the competition; with one match day one week away.