Paul Kasabian
Sun, July 11, 2021, 3:40 AM·2 min read
The Nigerian men’s basketball national team made 20 three-pointers en route to defeating Team USA 90-87 in an Olympic exhibition matchup from Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Miami Heat guard Gabe Vincent led Nigeria’s three-point barrage by making 6-of-8 shots from downtown en route to 21 points. Caleb Agada hit all three of his three-pointers en route to 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting.
For Team USA, Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant had 17 points, and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum added 15.
Team USA had a chance to tie the game after coming out of a timeout with 13.2 seconds remaining, but they did not get a shot off before shooting guard Zach LaVine was fouled with 3.5 seconds remaining.
LaVine missed both of his free-throw attempts, leading to Miami Heat center Precious Achiuwa’s defensive rebound.
Achiuwa went to the free-throw line with a chance to ice the game for Nigeria, but he also missed both free throws with 1.4 seconds left.
A scramble for a loose ball ensued, and it ended in Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard’s hands. A desperate full-court heave for the tie did not connect, and Nigeria pulled off the stunning upset after a terrific performance.
This win was not a fluke: Nigeria was clearly the better team on this night, as evidenced by its fantastic shooting display and tough defense.
Still, it was a stunning result given the pregame expectations plus Team USA’s past history against Nigeria.
B/R Betting noted the sportsbook figures prior to the game:
The last game between these two teams notably ended with Team USA winning 110-66 in the run-up to the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Team USA also beat Nigeria 156-73 during the 2012 Summer Olympics.