Head Coach, Otis Hughley says the team is still a work in progress despite being tipped as one of the favorites ahead of the 2019 FIBA Women Afrobasket championship, D’Tigress
Otis said that the new faces in the team need time to blend technically and tactically with the core members of the team.
“It’s still a work in progress but I think we have taken a step in that direction.
“I think if we can play well, win and defend our title, get back at Cameroon for what they did to us several years ago, I think it will attract more talents from the WNBA”, Otis said.
Explaining the decision behind the team list, the Head Coach said the inclusion of some new faces was necessitated by the short falls noticed by the technical crew at the last world cup.
“We have added some talents. Some other people playing at a higher level interested in playing for Nigeria and we are drawing a lot of attention that we were hoping for.”
Jasmine Nwajei whose registration could not be completed before the last world cup in Spain has made a return to the team and will hope to make her international debut in Dakar.
Other new faces in the team include University of Buffalo player, Theresa Onwuka, Victoria Macaulay, Ifunaya Ibekwe alongside Italy based Kunaiyi Pallas Akpannah.
The team, gunning for their 4th African title have been grouped alongside Tunisia and Cameroon.
The competition starts on the 10th of August.
