FIBA U18 Women African Championship: Discover starlets ready to uplift their national team

 

ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) - The 17th edition of FIBA U18 African Women Championship will take place in Madagascar in just about a week from now. It is the youth topflight women team's tournament on the African continent.

Expected in Antananarivo are reigning champions Egypt, vice-champions of the 2020 edition Mali, Guinea, Uganda, Angola, Tanzania and Algeria.

As it is with every edition of this championship, expectations are high for all the participating countries and new stars are bound to emerge but pending the commencement of matches.

There are some players that are expected to carry their countries given their performances at the last edition in U16 Women’s African Championships held in Cairo, Egypt. 

Some of the players have graduated to their national U18 teams. Here we look at some of the players and what is expected of them.

ROKIATOU BERTHE (Mali)

Position: Forward
Date of birth: June 9, 2006 (age 18)
Height: 180cm  (5ft 11in)

Rokiatu Berthe was the heroine of the Mali team at the Final of the FIBA U16 Women's African Championship between Egypt and Mali.

Her performance saw her emerge as the tournament's Most Valuable Player. In addition to being named MVP, she also carted away trophies for the best three-pointer and for the best scorer.

The forward will be one player that all eyes would be on to carry Mali to yet another trophy in this category.

At the 2022 FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup, Berthe did not disappoint for Mali as she featured in all 7 Games that her country played scoring a total of 89 points. Her experience at this championship is an added advantage for Mali.

COULIBALY ALIMATA (Mali)

Position: Center
Date of birth: May 13, 2005 (age 17)
Height: 188cm (6ft 2in)

Coulibaly had a great show garnering a total of 70 rebounds for the Best Rebounder award when she last featured for Mali at the U16 cadre.

As a strong and influential team player for the West African nation, much is expected of her based on her confidence.
Alimata also was at the recent U17 Women’s World Cup in Hungary and featured in all 7 Games her team played to help her country finish in 10th place.

JANA ELALFY (Egypt)

Position: Small Forward
Birth: 20 Sep 2005 (age 16)
Height: 192cm (6ft 4in)

Elalfy represented Egypt at the FIBA U16 Women's African Championship and was voted the Best Forward.

She graduated to the national U17 team of Egypt and was recently in Hungary for the FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup where Egypt finished in the 11th position.

At the end of the Championship, Elalfy was ranked on the overall 3rd statistics chart with 115 points made from 7 Games.

Before the World Cup in Hungary, Elalfy became just the second female prospect and first female prospect from Africa to participate in the Elite Basketball Development Training Program at NBA Global Academy in Australia. 

SYLVIA NANTONGO (Uganda)

 

Position: Small Forward

Birth: 02 Dec 2004 (age 17)

Nationality: UGANDA

Sylvia Nantongo was the star attraction of the Uganda team at the Zone 5 Qualifiers held in Kampala and was instrumental to her country getting the sole ticket to represent the Zone.

Uganda defeated Tanzania 63-43 in the deciding game played for the ticket and Sylvia was very conspicuous.

She finished with a game-high of 17 points, and added 11 rebounds, 2 assists in addition to 3 blocks to help Uganda finish with a total of 9 points to top the table despite losing one game to Rwanda.

Nantongo was rewarded with the Top Scorer award as well as the Most Valuable Player of the tournament and she would be one player to look out for in this championship to help her country make the right mark.

LOUBNA FERIKH (Algeria)

Position: Point Guard
Birth: 03 Jan 2005 (age 17)
Height: 169cm  (5ft 7in)

Algeria are inching their way to relevance gradually in the age grade cadre. First the country astonishingly finished in third place last year in Cairo at the FIBA U16 Women Championship.

It was point guard Loubna Ferikh that made it possible courtesy of a Third-Place 53-51 win over Uganda. The feat makes it the first podium finish for the country in all three editions they have participated in.

She is sure to put up another spectacular performance for Algeria in this Championship.

FIBA