Experts from the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) have dismissed any possibility of Nigeria’s DTigress causing an upset in their quarterfinal match against the United States at the ongoing Paris 2024 Olympics.
The FIBA experts, including long-time FIBA writer Jeff Taylor, former Poland national team coach Mike Taylor, former Great Britain player Azania Stewart, veteran coach Mark Clark, FIBA Media commentator Shona Thorburn, and veteran journalist Carlan Gay, unanimously believe that the USA team is an immensely tough opponent for DTigress.
Despite Nigeria’s impressive tournament performance, where they have emerged as African champions, they now face the daunting task of playing against the gold medal favorites. The experts assert that the USA team has continuously improved throughout the tournament and possesses an overwhelming advantage in terms of talent and depth, making it difficult for Nigeria to score enough points.
Mark, one of the experts, predicts that Nigeria will put up a fight but expects the USA to pull away in the second half. Azania expresses that this matchup is particularly challenging for Nigeria, as she believes they would have a better chance at fighting for a medal against any other opponent.
Carlan acknowledges Nigeria’s fairy tale run in the Olympics and believes that they have already left an indelible mark in the history of African basketball on the global stage. She states, “No matter the outcome from this point onwards, Nigeria has made history and laid a solid foundation for the future of African basketball.”
However, the consensus remains that the USA team, with its strength and depth, will overpower DTigress. It is expected that Nigeria will keep the game close in the first half, but the USA will ultimately dominate in the second half.
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