D’Tigress suffered defeat in their final match of the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament, succumbing 78-61 to the formidable hosts and reigning European champions, Belgium.
Belgium asserted their dominance early on, securing a commanding lead in the first quarter, ending it 22-11. The second quarter saw a more balanced exchange, with both teams evenly matched at 18-18. However, Belgium maintained their advantage, heading into halftime with a 40-29 lead over the Africans.
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D’Tigress showed resilience in the third quarter, staging a comeback with eight consecutive points, narrowing the deficit to five. Yet, their momentum faltered as Belgium responded with an onslaught of 15 unanswered points, widening the gap even further. The third quarter concluded with Belgium leading 63-48.
In the final quarter, D’Tigress fought hard, outscoring Belgium 19-15, but it was not enough to overturn the game’s outcome.
Despite the loss, D’Tigress had already secured their spot in the Olympics, thanks to a hard-fought victory over West African rivals Senegal in the qualifiers.
Elizabeth Balogun led the scoring for D’Tigress with 17 points, accompanied by five rebounds, one assist, and one steal. Amy Okonkwo contributed 16 points, six rebounds, and two steals, while Pellas Kunaiyi-Akpanah added 12 points, nine rebounds, and one assist.
