Elonu keen to help Nigeria qualify for FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2018 News

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Elonu keen to help Nigeria qualify for FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2018

By Daily Sports on May 31, 2017

Nigeria last year failed to qualify for the Rio Olympics, but the FIBA Women's World Cup 2018 in Spain is a goal that Adaora Elonu looks forward to achieving.

Having led Nigeria in scoring during the FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2015 as well as the 2016 FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Nantes, France, the 27-year-old small forward feels they can do a lot better at this year's African Championship in Mali.

“I, as well as a few other teammates, have played in Spain, and it would be a great feeling if we could return and play in a country we are familiar with playing in,” says Elonu.

Nigeria have been drawn in Group B along with Senegal, Egypt, Mozambique, Guinea and a team that will qualify from FIBA Africa Zone 4.

Why the FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2017 matters for Nigeria, who last won the continental crown in 2005, is what the Perfumaria Avenida forward explained to FIBA.com.

“Looking at the teams in the tournament and in our group, I think it will be another exciting FIBA Women's AfroBasket. Our group, similar to the other group is strong. We played all of the teams in our group in Cameroon, but as two years have passed the teams may have changed.

“I am truly happy that we are in the competition. Whether as the underdog, the favorite, or a happy competitor, the team that represents Nigeria will fight like always. Finishing third in Cameroon was not our goal, we wanted to win, but that event led us to Nantes and gave us a different look and feel. It was a wonderful experience, although punching a [Rio Olympics] ticket would have been phenomenal. We grew as a team during that summer period, and hope that we can only move forward with that growth,” Elonu said.

*Photo shows Adaora Elonu.

Source Daily Sports

Posted May 31, 2017