June 22, (THEWILL) – The stage is set for an intense battle, as the FIBA Africa Under-16 Zone 3 Qualifiers commence on Thursday, in Accra, Ghana.
Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria will go head-to-head at the Eden Heights facility, vying for a ticket to the Final Round in Tunisia from July 13-23. Cote d’Ivoire’s junior Elephants have previous experience in this competition, having participated in the Final Rounds in 2013, 2019, and 2021. Their past performances saw them finish 8th, 9th, and achieve their best result in 2021, securing the 5th position.
As the Ivorians prepare for their fourth appearance, the junior Elephants are determined to take advantage of the opportunity to apply their experience against the opponents stacked against them in the Accra competition. Meanwhile, Nigeria, fuelled by their two bronze medal placements in 2009 and a decade later in 2019, aims to make a strong impression in their quest for a fourth showing on the grand stage.
Although they faced a 5th-place setback in 2015, Nigeria is eager to surpass their bronze medal position and overcome any challenges that come their way, particularly against formidable opponents Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
