Nigeria’s D’Tigers recorded another upset in the
ongoing FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Venezuela when they
defeated European powerhouse Greece 80-79 in the second quarter-final
match played on Friday.
D’Tigers had advanced to this stage from Group B,
where they lost to hosts Venezuela 71-69, before beating one of Europe’s
best, Lithuania, 86-80 in the final group game.
It was Greece that started the onslaught on Friday
right from the jump ball, but D’Tigers fought back to finish the first
quarter 21-21. The Greeks took control of the second quarter as they
scored 21 points against Nigeria’s nine.
Nigeria came back strong in the third quarter,
finishing on a high 20-14 as Anthony Skinn and Al-Farouk Aminu lifted
the team’s spirit with penetrating passes and powerful dunks.
The Greek team was utterly classless in that quarterfinal, refusing to acknowledge that they had been outplayed and outsmarted by the Nigerian team. So nice to see the Nigerians teach them a lesson they will never forget.
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