Actions continue on Tuesday at the ongoing women’s basketball championship, Afrobasket 2019 hosted in Dakar, Senegal as game day 3 will feature several bigwigs of the continent powerhouse teams that would be looking horns for a top spot in their different groups and an opportunity for teams to progress straight to the quarter finals, brila.net can authoritatively report.
AfroBasket
D’Tigress coach Hughley calls for support ahead Afrobasket title defence
Nigeria Women Basketball team, D’Tigress departed the country for Dakar, Senegal on Tuesday for the FIBA Africa Women Afrobasket, which will hold from 10 to 18.
Nigeria defeated Senegal to lift the trophy in the last edition held in Mali and are hoping to successfully defend the title defence when the tournament kicks off this weekend
Nigeria is drawn alongside Cameroun and Tunisia in Group B, Mali square up with Angola and RD Congo in Group C, while Group D consists of Mozambique, Cape Verde, and Kenya.
The Nigerian team has been preparing for the championship in Lagos under the guidance Coach Otis Hughley who led the team to victory two years ago in Bamako.
Meanwhile, Captain of the team, Adaora Elonu, who spoke to the media at the unveiling of the new jersey for the team , disclosed thatthe team s ready to win the title once more and urged Nigerians to get behind the girls for the battle ahead.
“It will be tough in Senegal but we are prepared to give our best and retain our title. We have been training hard to be in top shape and I am sure we will all be fit when the championship begins.”
“It is possible to win the title in Senegal with the support of our countrymen. On our part, we will do our best to do our country proud.”
Nigeria‘s team to the tournament :
Adaora Elonu, Jasmine Nwajei, Elo Edeferioka, PromiseAmukamara, Theresa Onwuka, Aisha Balarabe, Sarah Imovhioh,Ezinne Kalu and Victoria Macaulay.
Others are Ifunaya Ibekwe, Kunaiyi Pallas Akpannah, AtonyeNyingifa, Sarah Ogoke and Evelyn Akhator .
The 2019 Afrobasket Women Champions D’Tigress have been drawn with Tunisia and Cameroon in Group B of the FIBA Afrobasket Women 2019 scheduled for August 10th to 18th in Dakar, Senegal.
In the draws conducted in Dakar on Monday July 29th, 12 teams were placed in 4 pots and later grouped into 4 groups of 3 teams each.
Reigning AfroBasket champions, Nigeria will today open camp in Lagos ahead of her title defense at the 26th edition of the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket championship taking place in Dakar, Senegal from August 9 – 18.
The senior women’s National Basketball Team opens camp on Friday in Lagos as preparation commences for the 2019 AFROBASKET championship in Dakar, Senegal.
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Vasas Akademia of Hungary guard, Ezinne Kalu, has warned other African teams dreaming of winning next year‘s Africa women Basketball championship to prepare for war because D’tigress is not ready to relinquish the title they won in Mali in 2017.
D’tigress won the tournament for the first time since 2005 after they defeated Senegal 65-48 in the final of the 2017 edition and all eyes will be on them, as they will be going to 2019 edition as favorite following their heroic performance at the just concluded 2018 FIBAWomen’s world cup .
However, Ezinne who was one of Nigeria ’ s best performers at the 2017 FIBA Afrobasket said the team are ready to defend their title.
“Absolutely. Right now we are the champions and nobody can take that from us . The only way is if we give it to them and that will never happen . We are D ’ Tigress . We worked and are working hard to be the best .“
It would be recalled that D’tigress took the World by storm when they beat Turkey, Grece, and Argentina to qualify for the quarter final of the FIBA Women’s world cup in Tenerife Spain.
The 26-year old charged her teammates to keep working at the various clubs in order to sustain the success achieved at the World Cup.
“This can be sustained by us consistently putting in the work on – and – off the court. Even as each individual player play on their club teams , it ’ s important that we all stay in the best shape and get better in any way that we can .
Every summer is a new task for us but if we do the early work and we are prepared , then everything will fall into place for us .” She added.
The American born basketball star also praise the influence of Coach Otis Hughley had on the team after joining the team shortlybefore the World Cup.
“Otis is a good guy and coach . I love his passion for the game and the knowledge he brings to the table .
He definitely pushes his players to play at a high level.“ She concluded.