The New York Times profiles Nigeria’s brave basketball Olympics team

Bruised and Beaten, but Nigerians Are Unbowed

By Greg Bishop

LONDON — The buzzer sounded the end of the fairy tale, and the Nigerian team limped off the court in slow motion, unwilling, unable to let go. As they filed into the tunnel, the crowd stood in unison and cheered the team they call D’Tigers.

Tony Skinn, the Nigerian point guard who went to George Mason University, wound up in a hospital, having surgery for a torn quadriceps Monday.

D’Tigers lost against on Monday, this time to France, standing ovation notwithstanding. To their list of firsts — first Olympics appearance, first Olympics victory — they had added something less historic: their first Olympic exit.

Nigerian basketball team win first Olympic game

The Nigerian basketball team this morning won their first game at the 2012 London Olympics, making the basketball team the first in Nigerian sporting history to win a match at the Olympics. They beat Tunisia 60-56 and need just one more win to get through to the next round. With this win, D’Tigers has become the first basketball team in Nigeria’s sporting history to win a match at the Olympics. 

The team needs just one more win to get through to the next round. Go team Nigeria!

Meet the Nigerian Team at the 2012 London Olympics

Team Nigeria has a total of 116 members: 55 athletes, 12 coaches, 29 administrators officers, 9 medical officials, 5 contingent officials and 6 secretariat officials.

Nigeria will be featuring in 8 games: basketball, table tennis, athletics, weightlifting, canoe slalom, boxing, wrestling and taekwondo. List of all the members of the Nigerian Team at the 2012 Olympics when you continue...