FIBA: Will Marine Johannès and host France advance out of Group B?

The ladies’s 5×5 basketball competitors begins Sunday, July 28 and concludes Sunday, August 11 with the gold medal sport. The sector options 12 nationwide groups, divided into three teams of 4 groups.

Group A: Serbia, Spain, China, Puerto Rico

Group B: Canada, Nigeria, Australia, France

Group C: Germany, United States, Japan, Belgium

Group play consists of a single round-robin match, with the first- and second-place groups advancing to the quarterfinals. The highest two third-place groups additionally will advance to the quarters, the place, after a draw, the competitors turns into a single-elimination match, which is able to start on Wednesday, August 7. Group video games will likely be held at Pierre Malloy Stadium in Lille, France, whereas Accor Area in Paris will host the quarterfinals, semifinals and medal video games.

Right here’s extra on the 4 groups contending to advance out of Group B:

Canada

Picture by ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP through Getty Photos

Roster: Natalie Achonwa, Kayla Alexander, Laeticia Amihere, Bridget Carleton, Shay Colley, Aaliyah Edwards, Yvonne Ejim, Nirra Fields, Sami Hill, Cassandre Prosper, Syla Swords

Making their eighth Olympic look and searching for their first medal is Canada, led by head coach Victor Lapeña. 4 present WNBA gamers—Los Angeles Sparks guard Kia Nurse, Minnesota Lynx wing Bridget Carleton, Washington Mystics ahead Aaliyah Edwards and Atlanta Dream ahead Laeticia Amihere—will likely be on the forefront of the Canadians’ effort, together with former WNBA gamers Natalie Achonwa, a ahead who performed for the Indiana Fever and Minnesota Lynx (2015-22), and Kayla Alexander, a middle who frolicked with the San Antonio Stars, Fever, Chicago Sky and Lynx (2013-20). A trio of collegians are also a part of the Canadian group: Yvonne Ejim, the 2024 WCC Participant of the Yr who will return to Gonzaga for her fifth 12 months; Cass Prosper, a rising junior ahead at Notre Dame; and Syla Swords, who will likely be a freshman guard at Michigan.

Nigeria

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Roster: Amy Okonkwo, Ezinne Kalu, Promise Amukamara, Elizabeth Balogun, Tomi Taiwo, Ifunanya Okoro, Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpannah, Murjanatu Musa, Lauren Ebo, Blessing Ejiofor, Solape Amusan, Rita Igbokwe, Lucy Ibeh, Adebola Adeyeye, Christeen Iwuala

The D’Tigress and head coach Rena Wakama are headed to the nation’s third Olympic Video games (2004, 2020), trying to advance to the quarterfinals for the primary time. Level guard Promise Amukamara, who performed at Arizona State (2011-15) and was chosen within the 2015 WNBA Draft, will captain Nigeria’s effort, together with a number of current collegiate athletes in middle Rita Ogbokwe (Pitt, Ole Miss; 2019-24), ahead Elizabeth Balogun (Georgia Tech, Louisville, Duke; 2018-23), middle Lauren Ebo (Penn State, Texas, Notre Dame; 2018-23), ahead Solape Amusana (Illinois, Sacramento State; 2020-24), Adebola Adeyeye (Buffalo, Kentucky; 2018-23) and guard Tomi Taiwo (Iowa, TCU; 2018-23). Two present faculty athletes in rising junior forwards Lucy Ibeh (TCU) and Christeen Iwuala (UCLA) are also suiting up for the D’Tigress. Guard Ify Okoro will likely be counted on to supply management.

Australia

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Roster: Alanna Smith, Cayla George, Ezi Magbegor, Isobel Borlase, Jade Melbourne, Kristy Wallace, Lauren Jackson, Marianna Tolo, Rebecca Allen, Sami Whitcomb, Stephanie Talbot, Tess Madgen

The Australians’ Olympic jaunt will likely be highlighted by the return of Lauren Jackson, who will characterize the Opals on the Olympic stage for a fifth time, however for the primary time because the 2012 Video games. Along with Jackson, head coach Sandy Brondello has a squad with the depth of expertise required to enhance upon a disappointing eighth-place end on the 2020 Video games and win the nation’s sixth medal (bronze, 1996; silver, 2000; silver, 2004, silver, 2008; bronze, 2012). The present WNBA gamers representing Australia are Minnesota Lynx ahead Alanna Smith, Seattle Storm middle Ezi Magbegor, Washington Mystics guard Jade Melbourne, Indiana Fever guard Kristy Wallace, Phoenix Mercury wing Rebecca Allen, Storm guard Sami Whitcomb and Los Angeles Sparks ahead Stephanie Talbot. Cayla George, a 2023 WNBA champion with the Las Vegas Aces, is also heading to Paris with the Opals.

France

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Roster: Marine Fauthoux, Alexia Chery, Sarah Michel, Valériane Vukosavljević, Iliana Rupert, Janelle Salaün, Gabby Williams, Marième Badiane, Marine Johannès, Alix Duchet, Dominique Malonga, Romane Bernies

The host nation is collaborating in its fourth-straight and fifth-overall ladies’s basketball competitors, searching for to safe a 3rd medal (silver, 2012; bronze, 2020). Below head coach Jean-Aime Toupane, the duo of Gabby Williams and Marine Johannès will likely be anticipated to hold the hopes of the French devoted, because the pair opted to not go well with up for the Seattle Storm or New York Liberty, their respective WNBA groups, in the course of the 2024 season to arrange for an Olympic push. Iliana Rupert, who spent the 2023 season with the Atlanta Dream and was chosen within the first spherical of the 2021 WNBA Draft, and Janelle Salaün, a rising star for EuroLeague Girls runner-up Villeneuve d’Ascq, give the French the type of promising younger expertise required to contend for a spot on the medal stand.

Group B schedule

Monday, July 29

Nigeria vs. Australia (5 a.m. ET)

Canada vs. France (11:15 a.m. ET)

Thursday, August 1

Australia vs. Canada (7:30 a.m. ET)

France vs. Nigeria (11:15 a.m. ET)

Sunday, August 4

Canada vs. Nigeria (7:30 a.m. ET)

Australia vs. France (3 p.m. ET)