Nigeria’s Uju Ugoka is looking forward to make her first appearance at senior level at AfroBasket Women 2015 and is taking aim at the continental crown. The 12-team event will take place in Yaounde, Cameroon from September 24 to October 3. The 1.85m forward, who plays for Italian side, Lavezzini Parma, featured for Nigeria in their two-leg FIBA Africa Zone 3 qualifier against Cote d’Ivoire last month in Abidjan.
The 22-year-old had a pivotal role, pouring 14 points and grabbing 11 rebounds to lead Nigeria in the second-leg game. “This qualification was a team achievement. I was able to do it because I had teammates who helped me,” she told FIBA.com. Talking about the upcoming African championship in Cameroon, Ugoka was upbeat about Nigeria’s chances.
“We have players and a team that can compete with any in Africa,” said the former Virginia Tech Hookies player. Nigeria are drawn in Group B along with Senegal, reigning champions Angola, Guinea, Algeria and a team to be determined through the wild card system. Since their last title earned in 2005 on their home soil in Abuja, the Nigerians have not reached the podium of Africa’s biggest women basketball tournament since.
Ugoka thinks it is time to end their 10-year drought from the AfroBasket Women podium. “Nigeria are one of the great basketball nations in Africa. We have to make our comeback at international level. And I think the only condition is to win the tournament this year,” she said. The tournament will serve as a qualifier for the 2016 Olympics Games in Rio de Janeiro.
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