Nigeria and Guinea awarded wildcards for 2023 AfroCan and Women's AfroBasket

 

ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) - FIBA Africa on Monday awarded two wildcards for two upcoming continental tournaments with Nigeria and Guinea benefiting from the invitation.

Nigeria are returning to the FIBA AfroCan for the second straight time, while Guinea will be making their fourth appearance at Women's AfroBasket since 2015.

FIBA AfroCan is a quadrennial national team competition reserved for African-based players, but for two. The first edition of the tournament took place in Bamako, Mali in 2019.

The 2023 AfroCan will take place in the Angolan city of Luanda from July 8-16.

The 2023 Women's AfroBasket - a biennial FIBA Africa national team competition - will run from July 28 to August 6 at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda.

NIGERIA 

After finishing second in the Zone 2+3 Qualifier over the weekend in Abidjan, Nigeria were invited to complete the line-up for the 12-nation 2023 FIBA AfroCan billed for Luanda.

Nigeria lost to Guinea (65-62) in the opener of the four-team Qualifier, but bounced back with a 78-51 victory over Benin on Saturday.

However, beating hosts Cote d'Ivoire at Palais de Sports Treichville in Abidjan on Sunday proved mission impossible for Nigeria as they fell 74-65 to the Elephants.

Nigeria, who finished 1-2, will complete Group B of this year's AfroCan, which includes hosts Angola and Mali.

GUINEA

Guinea came up short against Cote d'Ivoire in the two-game Qualifiers in Abidjan, losing 179-101 on aggregate, but they are headed to the 12-nation Women's AfroBasket, where they will face Angola hosts Rwanda in Group A.

FIBA