Team USA is set to face Nigeria in the Olympic basketball quarterfinals on Wednesday. Breanna Stewart, a key player for Team USA, expressed her respect and admiration for Nigeria's growth and achievements in the sport ahead of the game, highlighting the increasing parity in international women's basketball.
“Tons of respect to Nigeria for what they’ve been able to do. I feel like they’ve, you know, always been in the mix,” Stewart said, as reported by Doug Feinberg of The Associated Press. “When you think about World Cups, especially, that they give us their best shot and it just goes to show, you know, how much the sport is growing and the parity amongst, you know, us versus everyone else in the world.”
This upcoming clash is not the first encounter between the two teams. They previously met in the Tokyo Olympics opener in 2021, where the U.S. secured a nine-point victory, one of the closest games in their 58-game Olympic winning streak. Additionally, they faced off in February at an Olympic qualifying tournament, which saw the U.S. winning decisively 100-46.
Nigeria has made significant strides, becoming the first African country to qualify for the Olympic basketball quarterfinals. Their journey in the Paris Olympics has been notable, with victories over Australia and Canada in pool play. The wins have showcased Nigeria's aggressive and strong defensive play, which has caused problems for several top teams.
Team USA, Nigeria have met before
Napheesa Collier, another standout player for Team USA, acknowledged Nigeria's accomplishments.
“It’s amazing for them. My family’s from Africa. So to see African countries excelling in that way and getting higher and higher places in the sport is amazing to see,” Collier said. “So I’m really happy for them.”
However, Collier and her teammates are determined to end Nigeria's feel-good story in the elimination round.
“They’re very aggressive and very strong,” Collier said. “So I think we’re going to have to play some really solid team defense and making sure that we’re getting them away from the things that they like to do.”
The respect between the teams is mutual, but Nigeria's approach is far from intimidated. Their defensive prowess was evident in their game against the U.S. in Tokyo, where they forced 25 turnovers. This pressure defense has been a hallmark of Nigeria's play in the Paris Games, causing difficulties for Australia, France and Canada.
Ezinne Kalu, a guard for Nigeria, emphasized their defensive mentality.
“When we are on the court, we smell blood. Nobody defends quite like us, and that is what keeps us going,” Kalu said after their victory over Australia.
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