By Daily Sports Nigeria on July 14, 2025

Canada delivered a historic display of long-range shooting to inflict a heavy 113–42 defeat on Nigeria at the 2025 FIBA U-19 Women’s Basketball World Cup in Brno, Czech Republic, setting a new tournament record for the highest number of three-pointers made in a single match at both women’s and men’s levels, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

It was a magisterial performance by the Canadians, who became the first team in FIBA U1-9 World Cup history, across both genders, to register 20 three-pointers in a single fixture.

The previous record of 19, jointly held by Japan’s women and the United States’ men, was surpassed emphatically, with eight Canadian players contributing from beyond the arc.

Agot Makeer spearheaded the onslaught, scoring five of her seven three-point attempts en route to a game-high 18 points.

Her clinical finishing from the perimeter was instrumental in establishing Canada’s dominance early on, as Nigeria struggled to cope with the North Americans’ relentless ball movement and unerring accuracy from distance.

Mila Holloway further underlined Canada’s offensive superiority with nine assists, frequently finding open teammates on the wings and corners, while Nigeria were unable to recover from a sluggish start that saw them fall into a double-digit deficit within minutes of the tip-off.

The result came just a day after Israel had produced the third-best perimeter shooting display in the competition’s history, with 17 three-pointers in a narrow 86–82 defeat to Hungary.

Canada, however, went one better, surpassing previous notable performances including Japan’s 16 three-pointers against Italy in both 2011 and 2023, as well as Australia’s 16 against Argentina in 2023.

Canada’s achievement now sits atop the all-time list for three-point field goals made in a single FIBA U-19 World Cup game, ahead of Japan’s 19 against Chinese Taipei in 2021, with Israel’s recent tally now ranked third.

The Canadians also matched their previous record of 15 three-pointers, set against Egypt in 2023, and now lead the competition in scoring efficiency and perimeter threat.

For Nigeria, the defeat brought a sharp contrast to the elation of their historic opening day triumph over China, which had marked their first-ever win at the tournament.

That 93–88 victory had drawn comparisons to the D’Tigress’ Olympic quarter-final run at Paris 2024 and raised hopes that the Junior D’Tigress might defy expectations in Brno. However, against the clinical Canadians, they were outmatched in nearly every department.

Despite the loss, Nora Ezike, who had starred against China with a flawless 25-point display on debut, remains Nigeria’s standout performer.

She is currently averaging 13 points and 7.5 rebounds per game and has shown considerable leadership for a player making her first appearance on the global stage.

Francisca Chukwu and Wandoo Marvis Hembam have also contributed positively, but their efforts were insufficient to stem the Canadian tide.

Nigeria will now attempt to bounce back when they face Portugal in their final group game on Tuesday, with qualification to the knockout phase still a mathematical possibility.

Head coach Aderemi Adewunmi will be hoping for a more disciplined defensive performance and greater composure in possession, particularly under pressure from elite opposition.

The result leaves Canada top of the group and among the early favourites for the title, with their perimeter shooting, depth, and cohesion already setting them apart from the competition. Nigeria, meanwhile, will look to draw on their Day 1 momentum and the growing confidence of standouts like Ezike to reignite their World Cup journey.

Source Punch Ng

Posted July 14, 2025

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