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Still the best-ranked African team, D'Tigress remain the team to beat, albeit questions will be asked of them by some of the other top teams on the continent.
When the FIBA Women's Afrobasket 2023 tips off in Kigali, Rwanda, on Friday, all eyes will be on Nigeria as they look to win a fourth-straight African title.
D'Tigress have dominated the continent in the last three editions and will be the team to beat in Kigali despite their below-par preparations.
Nigeria were victorious in Mali 2017, Senegal 2019 and Cameroon 2021 and will now be out to conquer Kigali and return home with yet another title.
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09:37 - 26.07.2023
BASKETBALL Claire Lamunu: It is time to polish up for Afrobasket
Having finished ninth in the 2015 championship, the Gazelles will be hoping to break into the quarter-finals eight years later.
Still the best-ranked African team, D'Tigress remain the team to beat, albeit questions will be asked of them by some of the other top teams on the continent.
There have been several changes in the playing and coaching staff.
Serah Ogoke, Pallas Akpanah, Nkem Akaraiwe, Elizebeth Balogun, Amy Okonkwo and Murjanatu Musa are some of the returning players from the 2021 squad that lifted the title.
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08:27 - 26.07.2023
BASKETBALL What Uganda Gazelles' head coach said on arrival in Kigali
Uganda was the last team in Group C to arrive in Kigali. Mali jetted in on Monday, while Senegal arrived much earlier and had a friendly game against Mozambique.
Coached by Rena Wakama, Nigeria are in Group D alongside Egypt and DR Congo.
The five-time champions will be wary of teams like Senegal and Mali in this year's competition, but a fourth-straight African title is within reach.
Uganda back to the big stage
The Uganda Gazelles will be playing at Afrobasket for the first time in eight years, and they have vowed to make it count.
Flavia Oketcho is the only player from the 2015 team that finished ninth in Yaounde, Cameroon and comes into the 2023 tournament as the captain.
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The predominantly young side will start their campaign against Mali on Friday before facing record champions Senegal on Saturday.
Having defeated Egypt in the qualifiers, the Gazelles will take that kind of mindset into the finals and hope to get into the quarter-finals.
"We have to compete and get better every game we play," forward Claire Lamunu said ahead of the tournament.
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Every team will have two shots at the quarters, and the Gazelles feel they can cause an upset against any side to get into the top eight.
The top teams in each group will advance directly to the quarter-final, while those ranked second and third will play the qualification round for the quarter-finals.
With Mali and Senegal clear favourites to fight for the top spot in Group C, the Gazelles will likely need the quarter-final qualification round against teams from Group D.
Nigeria, Egypt, and DR Congo would then be Uganda's possible opponents.
Fiba Women's Afrobasket 2023
Friday fixtures
Nigeria vs. DR Congo -12.30pm
Mali vs. Uganda -3.30pm
Rwanda vs. Cote d’Ivoire -7pm
Cameroon vs. Mozambique -10pm
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