Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canaries, Spain — A historic moment in African Women’s Basketball occurred here off the coast of Africa, just 227.5 miles from Tarfaya, Morocco, as Nigeria stunned Greece 57-56 to advance to the FIBA World Cup quarterfinals, something no African women’s team has accomplished.
It took two foul shots from Georgia Tech grad Elo Edeferioka with 3.2 seconds left to give the (Georgia Tech) upstart Nigerian women’s team their first even FIBA quarterfinals appearance and first major showing since their last World Cup appearance in 2006 (16th place). With the victory Nigeria gets to play the vaunted USA team on Friday at 6:30am USA Eastern time at the Santiago Martin Arena.
(Elo Edeferioka talks about her game winning foul shots to move Nigeria into the Quarterfinals)
It wasn’t always this way for the Nigerian women’s team not their entire program. This is a Nigerian Basketball Federation who’s women’s program failed to appear at the U17 World Cup in Zaragoza, Spain in 2016. A different Nigerian Women’s team was left stranded at the Washington DC Dulles Airport by the Nigerian Basketball Federation without visas (nor tickets) and was a no-show at the 2011 FIBA U19 Championships in Chile. No wonder the Federation has been suspended and fined by the international body FIBA over the past 5 years.
A country with over 186 Million people with over half under 30 years of age has been viewed as a untapped gold-mine of potential NBA-level physical talent by NBA agents, NBA administrators, Shoe company execs and even FIBA itself. Immense funds were showered the Nigerian 2012 Men’s Olympic team in London along with Federation people and families. The Nigerian women’s program received almost negligible support after their last FIBA Women’s World Cup experience in 2006.
Over the past ten years this lack of financial, technical and preparation support for women’s basketball, especially in the Youth Divisions (U16, U17, U18, U19) has forced many of its younger players to leave the country in search of better educational and basketball opportunities. Of the 13 members of this year’s Nigeria Women’s World Cup roster, 11 have graduated from US Colleges while the other two are “home based.” From the 11 USA College players, eight have transitioned to USA Passports over time. And, making this even more victory more important is that four of the players were members of the ill-fated 2011 Nigerian U19 team stranded in DC.
(Sarah Imovbioh talks about her team members who were members of the 2011 U19 Nigerian women’s team)
The road for most of these members of the Nigerian Women’s National team stated while they were teenagers, leaving family and home and moving to America usually without family, funding or extensive support systems. Many young female players capable of coming to the USA never get through the US Embassy Visa process. Few Americans understand there the long, difficult process for Nigerian girls applying for a USA F-1 (non-public school) Visa, paperwork, interview process and applications fees that usually stalls when it comes to the support systems, finances and is the school legitimate. At present there are only 19 known Nigerian females playing US Division 1 women’s college basketball. Young female players aspiring to go to the USA just don’t get the support or access to America like the boys who are viewed at potential NBA pros.
(Sarah Imovbioh describes the experience about herself and teammates who moved to the US and played NCAA Women’s college basketball)
Many of these former USA college players return home to visit families and help run local girls basketball camps and clinics just to give them something of a change.
(Sarah Imovbioh speaks about the lack of support, development and opportunities for young female basketball players in Nigeria.)
What makes this FIBA sweet 16 win even more sweeter are the opportunities that can be delivered to young girls in Nigeria who are starving for learning structures, playing opportunities, and places to play. With the Minister of Sport and Nigerian basketball Federation people in attendance it’s hard no one doing anything for Nigerian girls basketball. But, as someone told me, unless the Women’s team members create and present a Youth girls development plan, to both entities, the men in charge will not do anything, again.
(Sarah Imovbioh talks about the many opportunities for this Nigerian Women’s team to ask the Ministry of Sport and Nigerian Federation for more support and opportunities for girls.)
NOTES: With the historic win over Pool A-3 Greece, Nigeria, which finished second in Pool B to Australia moved from round of 16 into quarterfinals against the USA which dominated play going 3-0 in Pool D and received a bye into the second round along with Canada (A), Australia (B) and Belgium (C). There was multiple discussions about the outcome of the Spain-Belgium game where the winner of this game moved to the top of the bracket against Canada after a huge win over France in their pool. Normally these international events drill down at the youth levels to the USA, France, Australia, Spain, Canada, with China, Japan, and another Euro country jockeying for the top 8 spots. Everyone want to avoid the American side of the bracket. Right now, Canada plays Spain at 3pm (USA Eastern time zone) at the top with that winner facing the winner of Australia vs China (9am after the USA-Nigeria game) and France facing Belgium in the bottom of the bracket with the USA. What the two games upset winners Belgium (Spain) and Canada (France) moving into unexpected brackets, France moved down into the USA side (instead of Canada) and faces Belgium (where Spain would’ve been). At the top Canada now faces Spain where some expected a France vs. Belgium game. So, in closer view, Canada and Spain game moves to the top of the bracket to face Australia and avoiding the typical final four showdown with the USA. Canada and Spain winner has a better shot at Australia to reach the gold medal game than a shot at a bronze medal or none.
(The Nigerian Women’s basketball roster and where they played according to Sarah Imovbioh.)
