Nigeria’s Men and Women’s 3×3 teams arrived in Lomé, Togo on Thursday for the 2018 FIBA 3×3 Africa Cup. The men’s team captained by Azouma Dike (Kano Pillars) is made up of Abdul Yahaya (Kano Pillars), Lucky Subel (Kano Pillars) and Godwin David (Kano Pillars)
Still buzzing from their Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League victory and a fairy tale 2018 FIBA Women’s World Cup run where the D’Tigress got to the quarterfinals, the women’s 3×3 team will hope to tap into the superlative form of Nkechi Akashili who scored 32 points, 2 assists and 5 rebounds to hand First Bank Women’s Basketball club the 2018 Zenith Women’s Basketball League.
World Cup debutant and 2018 Zenith Women’s Basketball League Most Valuable Player, Nkem Uwa Akaraiwe alongside Grace Okonkwo were also listed.
Following her sterling role in the colours of Dolphins, 2018 3×3 U-18 African Youth Games MVP, Ijeh Fumnaya Linda was also listed by the team’s coach, Acha Chris.
The men will hope to defend their title which they won in 2017 while the women who lost out narrowly to Mali in 2017 final will hope to go a step further and win the title.
Points will be gathered from the competition as part of a prerequisite to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics where 3×3 basketball will make a historic debut.
The delegation was led to Togo by the Director of 3×3, Nigeria and Chairman, Federal Capital Territory Basketball Association, Frank Jituboh.
