Trio of Albertans named to Canada's U18 Women's Team
Canada is going for gold at the FIBA U18 Women's AmeriCup 2024, and athletes from Alberta will play a big role in the team’s success.
Calgary natives Olivia Leung, Ify Nwaobi and Nyadieng Yeich are among the 12 players named on Sunday by Canada Basketball to its U18 Women's National Team roster.
Our 12 🍁 https://t.co/DcaDWkjAgI pic.twitter.com/zMcaypmSYJ
— Canada Basketball (@CanBball) June 16, 2024
The U18 Women’s AmeriCup takes place June 17 to June 23 at the Coliseo Bicentenario in Bucaramanga, Colombia. Canada opens play Monday against Argentina at 4:40 p.m. Mountain Time in Group A action.
“Congratulations to Olivia, Ify and Nyadieng on being selected to Team Canada,” says Dave Drabiuk, Alberta Basketball Association (ABA) executive director. “To have one-quarter of our national team comprised of Albertans is a testament to the tremendous level of basketball in our province, and gives us all great pride.”
Leung and Yeich led the ABA 17U Girls provincial team to a silver medal last summer at the 2023 Canada Basketball National Championships in Calgary, where both were named First Team All-Stars.
In 2022, Leung helped Alberta win gold at the Canada Summer Games in the Niagara Region of Ontario, while Yeich was a member of the ABA 17U Girls that won bronze at the National Championships in Sherbrooke, Que.
After taking on Argentina, Canada concludes its group phase schedule with games against Colombia at 7:10 MT on Tuesday, and the Dominican Republic at 4:40 MT on Wednesday. All games will be streamed live on FIBA's YouTube channel.
The FIBA U18 Women’s AmeriCup features the top eight teams from across the Americas zone. The top four teams in the event will automatically qualify for next summer’s FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup 2025. Canada won silver at the last U18 Women’s AmeriCup, held in 2022.
"We wish Olivia, Ify, Nyadieng and all their teammates tremendous success at the AmeriCup, and know they will continue to be great role models for all aspiring young athletes in Alberta and across our country,” Drabiuk says.
