Belgium 78-61 Nigeria: D’Tigress conclude Antwerp campaign with tough loss to Cats
(Made In Africa Sport) – Nigeria’s D’Tigress capped off their 2024 FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Antwerp with a 78-61 defeat to the host nation, Belgium.
The Belgian Cats concluded the tournament in grand fashion, in front of their home crowd at Sportpaleis, with a commanding display.
They seized control by triumphing in the initial and penultimate quarters with scores of 22-11 and 23-13, respectively, while evenly splitting the second quarter with a scoreline of 18-18. However, they yielded the final quarter 15-19 to Nigeria.
Coming into the game, the European champions faced the threat of an upset but rose to the occasion to deliver a near-perfect display, fuelled by the energy of their 11,645 supporters. Needing a win to finish strong heading into Paris 2024, the Cats put their foot on the gas in the second half, pulling away from a close contest to secure a 2-1 record.
A tight first half gave way to a Belgian onslaught after the break. The Cats unleashed an 18-2 run, leaving Nigeria in their wake and establishing a commanding lead.
Emma Meesseman, named TCL Player of the Game, led the charge with a near triple-double (14 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, and 6 steals), showcasing her spectacular talent.
EMMA ON QUADRUPLE-DOUBLE WATCH 👀🚨
📊 14 PTS | 8 AST | 8 REB | 6 STL#FIBAOQT pic.twitter.com/FdAKnBbR4z
— FIBA Basketball (@FIBA) February 11, 2024
Nigeria had 29 turnovers, showing how they struggled to cope under the pressure of the hosts once Belgium turned up the dial.
The African champions entered Antwerp aiming to defeat Senegal and secure their Paris 2024 Olympic berth, which they successfully achieved. However, they faced tougher challenges against the USA and Belgium, ultimately falling short in both encounters.
While the defeat to the Cats marked the end of their Olympic qualification journey, the D’Tigress have gained valuable experience and momentum looking ahead to the African Games in March and the Olympics finale in July.
