Ezinna Kalu led Nigeria with 21 points as the team made Olympic history by becoming the first African squad, male or female, to reach the Olympic basketball quarterfinals, defeating Canada 79-70 on Sunday. With this win, Nigeria (2-1) is now awaiting their next opponent. They have already surpassed their previous best in pool play, doubling their win tally from the 2004 Athens Games. The team celebrated their achievement by heading to midcourt, where an assistant coach recorded the moment with her phone. After high-fiving the Canadian players, they regrouped for a jubilant midcourt huddle. An assistant coach also took the opportunity to capture photos with a fan’s flag on the court. The Nigerians savored the moment with hugs and photos as they celebrated their historic victory. Canada, ranked fifth in the world, finished the group stage winless, falling short on the final day of play to a team ranked 12th. Five teams had already secured their quarterfinal spots before this game: the U.S., aiming for an unprecedented eighth consecutive Olympic gold, and Spain, Serbia, France, and Germany. The final draw for the quarterfinals will be determined after the last group stage game between Australia and host nation France. Nigeria had not qualified for the 2016 Rio Games and went winless in Tokyo. The women’s team was initially barred from Nigeria’s boat for the opening ceremony on July 26 but will now play in Bercy Arena on Wednesday, located on the banks of the Seine River. Nigeria started strong, scoring the first six points of the game. Captain Amy Okonkwo injured her right shoulder early in the second quarter in a collision with Canada’s Aaliyah Edwards. Canada led 41-37 at halftime, but Okonkwo returned for the third quarter, during which Nigeria opened with a 13-1 run. Nigeria outscored Canada 23-5 in the third period, taking a 60-46 lead into the final quarter. Elizabeth Balogun contributed 14 points, and Promise Amukamara added 12 for Nigeria. Shay Colley led Canada with 17 points, with Bridget Carleton and Kayla Alexander adding 13 and 12 points, respectively. In another game, Belgium defeated Japan 85-58. Emma Meesseman was instrumental with 30 points and 11 rebounds, helping Belgium secure one of the three remaining quarterfinal berths. The Belgian team celebrated at midcourt, with some players in tears of joy as the final buzzer sounded. Japan, which had won silver three years ago in Tokyo, was eliminated after finishing with a 0-3 record in group play. This marks the second consecutive Olympics where the previous silver medalist has failed to medal; Spain, the 2016 silver medalist, also fell short in Tokyo. Belgium (1-2) needed a 27-point victory over Japan to advance with a better point differential than China. The game was closely watched by Chinese fans as Belgium, located just 20 miles (32 kilometers) away, aimed to secure their place. Japan initially led 4-2, but Belgium took control with a 3-pointer from Antonia Delaere, leading 19-7 by the end of the first quarter. The lead grew to 39-23 at halftime, and despite Japan’s efforts, Belgium outscored them 22-16 in the third quarter for a 61-39 lead. Elise Ramette’s 3-pointer with 4:52 left secured the necessary point margin, leading to a Japan timeout and a celebration from Becky Massey. Ramette finished with 16 points, and Delaere and Maxuella Mbaka Lisowa each contributed 12. Saki Hayashi led Japan with 13 points, and Evelyn Mawuli added 12.
