Akashili Eager To Earn Spot in 2018 FIBA Women’s World Cup

The draw to decide which teams will play against each other in the maiden edition of the Women’s WAFU Cup of Nations will hold in Abidjan the capital of Cote D’ Voire on 9th of January 2018. The tournament is scheduled to run from the 8th to the 24th of February with 8 teams drawn into two groups with host country Cote D’ Voire in Group A, and the highest FIFA ranked team in Africa automatically making the Group B list. The countries vying for the trophy are; host Cote D’ Ivoire and Nigeria who are the two seeded teams. Others include Ghana, Togo, Niger, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Benin Republic. For the Super Falcons, this tournament will also serve as preparations for the coming AWCON qualifiers which is scheduled for the month of May. In Women’s Basketball, Afrobasket winner and D’Tigress point guard, Nkechi Akashili, is determined on making Nigeria’s final list for the 2018 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Spain after she was left out of the squad that featured in the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in France. The 27-year-old had a good run in 2017 as she was part of the squad that claimed the victory at the 2017 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket in Mali. Akashili was also part of the Nigerian team that won silver at the inaugural FIBA 3×3 Africa Cup in Togo. She helped her club, First Bank of Nigeria to place third at the 2017 FIBA Africa Women’s Champions Cup in Angola. Akashili is focused on showcasing just what she can do at the worlds. Making the final round of the World Cup would be big for my profile,” Akashili told FIBA.basketball. She continued, “We need to do well. I have to continue doing well and carry my team, contribute and not just make up numbers. It is a great dream. That is what most people wish to be. I do not know how to express myself. It will be a great achievement and high profile.” “Winning the AfroBasket was a dream come true. We were not favorites, but because we worked together as a team, we managed to achieve our goal. It is a team game and if you do not have team spirit, you cannot win.” She added. Nigeria and runners-up Senegal will represent Africa at the 2018 FIBA Basketball World Cup which will run from September 22nd to the 30th 2018 in Tenerife, Spain.