Paris: Nigeria’s women became the first team from the African continent, men or women, ever to reach the quarter-finals of an Olympic basketball tournament on Sunday.

The Nigerians clinched their place in the last eight by beating Canada 79-70 at the Pierre-Mauroy Stadium near Lille.

Nigeria’s #22 Blessing Ejiofor and Nigeria’s #03 Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah celebrate with their country’s national flag after Nigeria won the women’s preliminary round group B basketball match between Canada and Nigeria during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, northern France, on August 4, 2024. (Photo by Sameer Al-Doumy / AFP)

The win means Nigeria are guaranteed to finish among the top three in Group B but the Canadians were eliminated without registering a single victory.

The Nigerians outscored the Canadians 23-5 in the third quarter. US-born Ezinne Kalu top-scored with 21 points and Elizabeth Balogun scored 14 points.

The draw for the women’s quarter-finals will be made later Sunday with the games to be played on Wednesday.

The knockout stages of the men’s and women’s basketball tournament will be played in Paris.