Ahead of the forthcoming FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women in Angola, First Bank Basketball Club of Lagos has released names of players who will represent the country.
A statement by the Nigeria Basketball Federation showed that the list was released by Peter Ahmedu, the team’s technical crew head, from their Akure, Ondo State camp.
It has four players from the Afrobasket winning D’Tigress team: Nkechi Akashili, Chima Udeaja, Cecilia Okoye and Ugochi Nwaigwe.
The list also has Minata Fofana, an Ivorien international; as well as Deborah Nwakanma; Nkem Akaraiwe; Bilikis Adekoya; Magdalene Ukato; Tina Akaraiwe; Mary Isuambuk; and American import, Wilson Dominic.
The team plans to depart for Luanda on Wednesday for the tournament billed to hold from Friday to November 19.
Ahmedu, while releasing the list, said the selected players were some of the best in the country with the experience to do well at the tournament.
He explained that the camping exercise afforded the technical crew an opportunity to have a closer look at the players at their disposal.
He said: “This was helpful in our final decision.”
Meanwhile, Musa Kida, the NBBF President, has assured the club of maximum support as they file out against other clubs from Africa.
He gave the assurance in a goodwill message to the current champions of the Zenith Bank Women Basketball League.
Kida said: “We will definitely support you all the way as you take on the rest of Africa.
“Last year, you came third in Africa. I believe that this year, you can take a step further and bring the title home.”
He added that the inclusion of four members of the D’Tigress side would help the team to play as a winning unit.
Kida noted that this would also help the team realise its aim of surpassing its third place finish in the 2016 edition at Maputo in Mozambique.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the First Bank team, also known as The Elephant Girls, are the Nigerian and FIBA Zone Three champions.