Victorious pre-Games U-16 3X3 basketball champions return

Nigeria’SU-16 3×3 women’s basketball team, which won the just-concluded Dakar 2026 World Youth Games pre-Games championship, returned to the country, yesterday.

The team, which defeated five other teams to win the competition tagged “Festival of the Games,” arrived at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos in the company of officials of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) to the warm embrace of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) officials and some other followers of the game.

In the team are Umeh Blessing Amarachi, Okechukwu Favour, Anari Favour, Angel Michael, and a coach, as well as NOC Coordinator, Kemi Obidaunsi.
 
The Nigerian girls defeated teams from Kenya, Algeria, The Gambia, and hosts, Senegal in the tournament, which the organisers said was aimed at testing Senegal’s readiness to host the 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
  
After losing to Senegal in their opening game, the Nigerians defeated The Gambia 21-13, and Algeria 29-9 before coming back to beat Senegal in the final on November 9 by 9-8 to emerge champions.