by Joe Apu
Nigeria women’s team coach Sam Vincent has hailed his players in Orlando, Florida as the ladies round off training for the flight to Nigeria.
Vincent who made a return to Nigeria basketball this summer said he was very proud of the players he worked with in nearly the last two weeks just as he has cut the number down to nine players for the journey to Nigeria.
According to Extrasports.com, Vincent in a facebook post late on Tuesday wrote, “This is a great group of young ladies that have been working very hard in camp. Proud of all of you! And looking forward to meeting the Nigeria based women soon!”
The camp in Florida formed the second part of the preparations for the women’s AfroBasket 2017 holding in Mali from August 18 to 27. The players in the Nigerian league and those based in Europe who were already on holiday in Nigeria also were also put into camping simultaneously in Lagos from July 24th. Both groups will merge to produce the final 12 for Bamako.
A member of the Nigeria Basketball Federation and President of FIBA Africa Zone Three Sam Ahmedu confirmed on Tuesday that Vincent would arrive in Nigeria with only nine of the players from Orlando.
Ahmedu said, “I can confirm the number because the coach has briefed us on the job so far. The numbers will be completed from the Lagos camp.”
The NBBF Vice President Babs Ogunade confirmed to Extrasportsnigeria.com that the ladies in Orlando would leave their USA base on Friday, August 4 for Nigeria.
“They should be here by the weekend. What is certain is that they are booked to leave the USA for Nigeria on the 4th of August.”
Nigeria won for the first time in 2003 in Mozambique under Coach Vincent and successfully defended the title with Ayo Bakare as coach in 2005 in Abuja. Nigeria finished third in the 2015 edition held in Yaoundé, Cameroon after beat rivals Angola 65-55 in the third place game.