The Junior Tigress of Nigeria made history on Saturday, July 12, by securing their first-ever victory at the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup, defeating China 93-88 in a thrilling encounter held in Brno, Czech Republic.
The Nigerian side erupted in jubilation at the final buzzer after a hard-fought win that signaled a significant breakthrough on the global stage. Leading the charge was debutant Nora Ezike, whose outstanding performance proved decisive. She recorded 25 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals in her maiden appearance for the national team.
Speaking after the game, an elated Ezike said, “I am so excited. It’s an honor to represent my country, and it’s so exciting to get this first win. The key was sticking to our game plan, playing solid defense, supporting each other, and keeping our composure in the closing minutes.”
The historic win drew comparisons to the achievements of Nigeria’s senior women’s team, D’Tigress, who made headlines at the Paris 2024 Olympics by becoming the first African nation to reach the quarterfinals and win two games at the Games.
Ezike acknowledged the inspiration she drew from that feat. “I went to Paris 2024 with my family and watched Nigeria’s games. It was really great to see how far they went,” she said.
Looking ahead, the Junior Tigress will aim to build on this momentum when they face Canada in their second Group B fixture on Sunday, July 13, with tipoff scheduled for 12:30 GMT.