Former Texas A&M women's basketball players Achiri Ade and Adaora Elonu will participate in the 2015 FIBA African Championship for Women, which starts September 24 and runs through October 3. Ade will represent host Cameroon, and Elonu will represent Nigeria. The champion of the tournament receives a berth into the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Ade plays for hosts Cameroon, who are looking for their first appearance in the Olympic Games and their first AfroBasket medal since a Bronze in 1984. Cameroon starts Group A play at 11:30 a.m. CT on Thursday, September 24 against Mozambique.
Elonu joins the Nigerian national team for the first time, as D'Tigress look for their third AfroBasket Championship and first appearance in the Olympic Games since Athens 2004. Nigeria starts Group B play at 7:30 a.m. CT on Thursday, September 24 against Guinea.
The top four teams in each group of six reach the quarterfinals, which start on October 1. In addition to Cameroon and Nigeria, Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Gabon, Guinea, Mali, Mozambique, Senegal, South Africa and Uganda have entered the tournament.
The competition runs through October 3, with the top squad qualifying into the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Second and third place earn entry into the 12-team Olympic Qualifying Tournament, to take place in June 2016 to determine the final five entries into the Olympic Tournament.
Elonu scored 1195 points and pulled down 728 rebounds in four years (2008-12) with the Aggies, and helped Texas A&M to the 2011 NCAA Championship as a junior. She ranks 13th on A&M's career points list and sixth on A&M's career rebound list.
Ade completed her A&M career in 2015, finishing as a fan favorite despite only playing two seasons (2013-15) for the Aggies. Ade averaged 6.7 points and 7.4 rebounds in her career, ranking fifth on A&M's career rebound average list. Ade helped the Aggies to the 2014 Elite Eight as a junior.
Senior Courtney Williams competed for the United States' entry into the Pan American Games this summer, joining Ade and Elonu as Aggies who competed internationally this summer. Both Ade and Elonu are vying to be the first Aggie to play in the Olympic Women's Basketball tournament.