Sports
Nigeria’s Former Basketball Captain, Udoka, For Induction
DePaul University of Athletics, Chicago, U.S. published on their website yesterday, the induction of Mfon Udoka, former captain of the female national team, D’Tigress and other professionals, into their hall of fame.
Udoka, a product of DePaul University, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame class of 2017 in Chicago on February 25.
Udoka, born June 16, 1976 is a Nigerian American former professional basketball player and the new Assistant Coach of the Nigerian women’s national basketball team, the Lady Tigers.
Born in Portland, Oregon, she graduated from Benson Polytechnic High School (1994) in Portland, before attending DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois from 1994 to1998. She is the sister of NBA player, Ime Udok.
After leaving DePaul in 1998, Udoka signed with the Detroit Shock of the WNBA. With Detroit, she appeared in three games. Udoka left the U.S. following the 1998 season, moving to Portugal for the 1998/99 season.
She returned to school to complete her degree in Communications in 2000, and also rehabilitated her ankle injury she suffered in the summer of 1999.
In 2001, she slowly resumed her basketball career with the Birmingham Power of the National Women’s Basketball League.
Following the end of the 2001 NWBL season, Udoka again left the U.S., moving to Israel, where she played briefly with Electra Ramat HaSharon, before moving to compete with Harbin in China for the 2002 season.
For the 2003 season, Udoka went back to Harbin before playing with the Chicago Blaze, again of the NWBL in 2003, where she was invited to the Houston Comets training camp and made the roster as a free agent.
Udoka led the Nigeria women’s national basketball team to the 2004 Summer Olympics. At the Olympics, she was second in the tournament in scoring and rebounding but Nigeria finished 11th out of 12 teams.
The Nigerian team became the first African team to ever win a game at the Olympics. Udoka also led Nigeria at the 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women, where Nigeria finished last (16th) place.
In 2003, Udoka’s role will always be remembered as she helped the First Bank Basketball Club of Lagos to defeat Primeiro de Augusto of Mozambique, 55-54 to win the club’s and the nation’s first ever FIBA Africa Club champions cup.
In May 2011, Udoka was named as the new Assistant Coach for the Nigeria Lady Tigresses, ahead of the African Nations Cup in Mali and the All Africa Games.
Nigeria came third in the competition, claiming the bronze medal and picked the pre-qualification ticket for the 2016 Olympics.
Gialuigui Donnarumma (Italy and Man City)
One of the greatest strikers of the past 15 years, Poland’s Robert Lewandowski, is among the big names who will not be playing at the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico.
The 37-year-old Barcelona striker, who has scored 89 goals for his country, was not able to inspire his side as they lost 3-2 in Stockholm against Sweden in Tuesday’s play-off final.
Lewandowski, who won the German Bundesliga title on 10 occasions, twice with Borussia Dortmund and then in eight successive seasons with Bayern Munich, before winning La Liga twice with Barca, may have played in his last major international tournament.
Lewandowski captained Poland at the World Cup in 2018, but did not score in Russia as his country came bottom of the group. He had a better tournament four years later in Qatar, scoring twice as Poland reached the last 16 before losing to France.
He netted four times in Group G in 2026 qualifying only for Poland to finish three points behind the Netherlands, before losing to Sweden on Tuesday.
Gialuigui Donnarumma (Italy and Man City)
Another star that will be missing in action at the mundial is Gialuigui Donnarumma of Italy.
Italy lost in the World Cup play-offs for a third successive qualifying tournament
Gianluigi Donnarumma has been one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League this season since he moved from Paris St-Germain for £26m in September, after helping the French club win the Champions League last season.
Despite being player of the tournament as Italy won the 2020 European Championship, he misses out on a World Cup again after Italy lost 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday.
Serhou Guirassy (Borussia Dortmund and Guinea)
Serhou Guirassy is Fourth in the list of Bundesliga top scorers this season
Serhou Guirassy has established himself as one of most prolific strikers playing in Europe, with 62 goals in the German Bundesliga over the past three seasons, while no player scored more than his 13 goals in the Champions League in 2024-25.
But he will not be at the World Cup as his country Guinea went out in the first round of African qualifying, finishing fourth in their group, with only four wins and three draws from their 10 matches.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia and PSG)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia helped Paris St-Germain become European champions last season, scoring in the 5-0 final win over Inter Milan, and he came 12th in the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards.
But Georgia had a miserable campaign in World Cup qualifying as they only picked up three points from a group that contained Spain, Turkey and Bulgaria.
Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray and Nigeria)
Victor Osimhen has scored 26 goals for club and country this season
Victor Osimhen helped Napoli win Serie A in 2023 before moving to Galatasaray, where he grabbed 26 goals in 30 games to take them to the Turkish title last season.
Nigeria drew five of their 10 matches in the first group phase as they finished one point behind winners South Africa, but then had a second chance in the following play-off.
With Osimhen already substituted, Nigeria lost on penalties to DR Congo to miss out on the World Cup.
Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool and Hungary)
Dominik Szoboszlai has scored 12 goals for Liverpool this season
Liverpool and Hungary midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has impressed this season and scored some stunning long-range goals.
But he will not be at the World Cup after his country let a 2-1 lead slip in their final group game with the Republic of Ireland scoring twice in injury time to clinch a spot in the play-offs and eliminate Hungary.
Female wrestlers in action at Governor Diri Wrestling Classics.
Ondo State wrestlers dominated the women’s events on Day six of the fourth Governor Douye Diri Wrestling Classics in Yenagoa on Monday, claiming gold medals in two of the four women’s freestyle categories.
African champion Khadijat Idris of Ondo State led the charge in the 55kg division, defeating rising talent Mary Ayeloh of Bayelsa State by technical superiority to claim gold. Happiness Soso of Delta State and Augustine Rhoda of Lagos State took bronze medals in the category.
Damola Ojo also flew the Ondo flag proudly in the 76kg event, retaining her title after defeating all opponents in a round-robin format. Nigeria Army wrestler Laide Ojo settled for silver, while Juliet Ogo of Bayelsa State and Mercy Alison of Abia State each claimed bronze.
In the 62kg category, Patience Kakanda of Bayelsa State produced the upset of the day, defeating Nigeria Army’s Precious Tieberi 3-1 in the final to be crowned the new champion. Isioma Abojei of Delta State and Blessing Apah of Dynamite Club won bronze medals.
Rivers State’s Esther Asaolu also retained her title in the 59kg division, overcoming all her opponents in the round-robin format, with Patience Opuene of Bayelsa State finishing as runner-up.
In the men’s events, Solomon Ulabo of Bayelsa State claimed gold in the 79kg category, with Kpum Ayibasisei of Edo State taking silver and Rasheed Saliu of Ondo State and Ebisindei Okorie of Dynamite Club winning bronze. NewLife Ebikeme of Bayelsa State won the 92kg gold, ahead of Perezidei Obaze of Edo State in silver position, while Tobechukwu Udeh of the Nigeria Army and Timilehin Adekanmi of Ondo State claimed bronze medals.
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