- Nigeria beat Canada and France beat Australia or
- France beat Australia and Canada beat Nigeria by 8 points or less
- Nigeria beat Canada and Australia beat France by 4 points or less or by 30 points or more
Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, the D’Tigress, are on the brink of making history by qualifying for the Olympic knockout stages for the first time ever.
Their path to this historic achievement, however, is fraught with complexities and hinges on the outcome of their final group stage match against Canada and the result of the France-Australia game.
A victory over Canada on Sunday is paramount for the D’Tigress. Coupled with a French win over Australia, Nigeria will secure the second spot in Group B, granting them a coveted spot in the round of 16.
However, the scenario is not as straightforward. A French victory over Australia combined with a narrow Canadian win over Nigeria (by eight points or less) would also see the African champions advance.
Alternatively, suppose Australia defeats France by four points or less or by a substantial margin of 30 points or more. In that case, Nigeria can still clinch the second position with a win against Canada.
A more challenging path to the knockout stage would involve finishing third in the group. This scenario necessitates a French win over Australia and a Canadian victory over Nigeria by a margin of 10 to 20 points. Another possibility is a Nigerian win over Canada and an Australian victory over France by a margin of 6 to 28 points.
Unfortunately, elimination awaits the D’Tigress if Canada defeats them and Australia triumphs over France. Similarly, a Canadian victory over Nigeria by a margin of 22 points or more, coupled with a French win against Australia, would also end Nigeria’s Olympic dream.
NIGERIA
Nigeria will finish 2nd if:
- NGR beat CAN and FRA beat AUS or
- FRA beat AUS and CAN beat NGR by 8 points or less
- NGR beat CAN and AUS beat FRA by 4 points or less or by 30 points or more
Nigeria will finish 3rd if:
- FRA beat AUS and CAN beat NGR by 10-20 points
- NGR beat CAN and AUS beat FRA by 6-28 points
Nigeria will finish 4th and be eliminated from contention if:
- CAN beat NGR and AUS beat FRA
- FRA beat AUS and CAN beat NGR by 22 or more points
