Nigerian basketball star Ezinne Kalu highlighted the team’s defensive prowess following D’Tigress’ historic 75-62 victory over Australia in the Olympic Games on Monday.
The win marked Nigeria’s first Olympic basketball success in 20 years and their first-ever victory in a Group phase game.
Kalu, who returned to the national team after a three-year absence, was instrumental in the victory, contributing 19 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals.
“Our defense was relentless,” Kalu stated proudly. “Nobody defends quite like us. When we are on the court, we smell blood. Nobody defends quite like us and that is what keeps us going.”
She acknowledged the challenge posed by Australia after Nigeria swept to a first half lead.
“Australia came out in the second half with their veterans and an amazing coach who knows what she’s doing, but we kept our foot on the gas and kept on going,” she said.
Emphasizing the significance of the win, Kalu added, “Wow, this really means a lot for our country. Coming into this competition we were ranked 12th [in the Power Rankings] and Australia I think were third or fourth.”
The victory represented more than just a single game for the team. “Today we made a statement that we are not going to give up and no matter what country we play, we are going to play our basketball,” Kalu added.
She likened the team’s dynamics to a family: “We are a family and sometimes you fight with your brother and your sister and then the next day you make up and be friends again the next day. That is what we have been doing in these past years. We have been trying to just stay together as a team and today proved that we can be great.”
Kalu also praised head coach Rene Wakama’s impact, acknowledging her for bringing “something different” to the team.
“She brought her experience and her fresh mind, she see’s something different. She sees what we don’t see in ourselves sometimes. She trusts us and we trust her. It’s good to have someone who knows the game so well and wants us to succeed so much,” she said.