The Nigerian flag soared high and proud in Brno as history was made at the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup. In a thrilling opening-day showdown, Nigeria clinched their first-ever win in the competition, edging out China 93-88 in a dramatic, high-octane encounter.

It was a rollercoaster from start to finish, but the young D’Tigress defied expectations and silenced doubters who predicted they might struggle to notch even a single win at the tournament.

Leading the charge was Nora Ezike, who delivered a stunning debut performance in national colours. She dropped 25 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, dished out 4 assists, and added 2 steals, an all-around display that proved decisive.

“I’m so excited,” Ezike said after the game. “It’s an honour to represent my country, and it's so exciting to get this first win." The key was sticking to what we practised, and what we said we were going to do heading into the game, as well as never giving up. We played good defence, supported each other, and kept our composure when it mattered most.”

Nigeria’s triumph brought back memories of D’Tigress’ historic run at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where they became the first African team to win two games and reach the quarterfinals.

Ezike acknowledged the impact of that achievement on her journey: “I took inspiration because i went to Paris 2024 with my family, and i watched Nigeria’s game. It was really great to see how far they went.”

With the first hurdle cleared and history already made, the challenge now is for the Nigerian side to prove that their opening-day triumph isn’t just a one-off, but the beginning of something truly special for African women’s basketball.