Nigeria edge out Korea in thriller

NANTES (2016 FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament) - Nigeria reminded everyone that they aren't ready to go home without a fight and that mindset paid off as they rallied to beat Korea 70-69 in the closest game so far at the 2016 FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament (WOQT).

After trailing for most of the contest, Ezinne Kalu hit a three-pointer with 4.6 seconds left to play to rescue Nigeria from a potential elimination.   

Turning Point: Kalu converted a three-point play with 2:51 remaining but that was just the beginning of a stretch that saw four lead-changes until the final buzzer sounded.   

Stats Don't Lie: Korea paid the price for getting little production from their bench players who contributed only 11 points against Nigeria's 37.  

Game Hero: By scoring 11 points off the bench for Nigeria, Kalu not only turned out to be a game-changer but also her team's new hero. 

The Bottom Line: How does a team that makes a tournament-high 14 three-pointers lose a game? That is a mystery which Korea head coach We Sungwo will have to figure out. But credit must be given to the Nigerian coaching staff who called a timeout when trailing 69-67 with 12 seconds to go. In the ensuing possession, Kalu executed the game-winning play that edges Nigeria closer to the Quarter-Finals.

FIBA