ISU's Champ Oguchi Makes the Final Cut to Play on Nigerian National Team

[tornado]

The Nigerian National Team has announced their final 12 man roster and Oguchi makes the cut.

The team also includes high scoring Josh Akognon who played for both Washington State (with Rodney Edgerson) and Cal State-Fullerton, averaging 24 ppg (6th best in all of D-I this past season) his senior year and scoring over 1800 career points.

Here is their full roster:


Joshua Akognon (180-G-86, college: Washington St.)
Michael Umeh (188-G-84, agency: Pro One Sports, college: UNLV)
Mike Efevberha (196-G-84, college: Cal.St. Northridge)
Ebikekeme Ere (195-G/F-81, college: Oklahoma)
Jayson Obazuaye (188-G-84, agency: Strategic Sports, college: Colorado)
Gabriel Muoneke (200-F-78, agency: Paris Global Sports, college: Texas)
Ejike Ugboaja (204-F/C-85)
Aloysius Anagonye (203-F-81, agency: Duran International, college: Michigan St.)
Jeleel Akindele (216-C-83, college: Chicago St.)
Benson Egemonye (208-C-83, college: Northeastern)
Akinlolu Akingbala (208-F-83, college: Clemson)
Chamberlain Oguchi (198-G-86, college: Illinois St.)

They have hired ex-NBA'er John Lucas as their coach

waiting in the wings also are Emeka Okafor, Ime Udoka, and Ike Diogu, (all NBAer's) who both could play a role in the future with the team if they advance in world play...and reach the 2010 World Basketball Championship in Turkey.



The Nigerian National Team actually begins right away and plays an early round game in the
FIBA Africa Championship against the Ivory Coast National Team.

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/sports/article02/indexn2_html?pdate=050809&ptitle=Nigeria%20begins%20campaign%20today%20against%20Cote%20d%27Ivoire

One other article quotes Oguchi........
"However, the team’s wing player, Chamberlain Oguchi, who spoke during the team dinner
in Lagos before their departure on Saturday, dismissed the threats posed by the other
fifteen countries competing at the championship. The 1.95 metre tall Oguchi,
who currently plays for Illinois St. U. National Collegiate Athletic Association, said:
“The cup is the target and nothing else. Anything short of the trophy is no achievement.”

[tornado]

Wednesday, Nigeria beat Ivory Coast but it was a lot closer than most thought, 93-84
with Chamberlain Oguchi getting 8 pts, 1 reb, no assists.

Then Thursday, Oguchi has a great game, scores 20 pts, and leads the Nigerian Nationals to a lopsided 97-49 win over South Africa in the FIBA Africa Championship in Benghazi, Libya.
Champ was 5-16 from 3pt (who ever said he was shy of shooting) and had 2 rebs, no assists.
Nigeria went to 2-0 in their pool, but are presently playing Libya, who is also 2-0.
The game is being played currently, but Nigeria is trailing 49-46 at halftime.

After pool play, then elimination play begins, running all next week, through Saturday, Aug. 14.

[tornado]

3 minutes remaining in the game Nigeria has a 20 pt lead over Libya

edit-- final score Nigeria 97 - Libya 81
Champ Oguchi had 6 pts, 1 rebound, no assists, and was 0-5 from 3 pt range. (he is 8-25 overall)

So far in three pool play games in this tourney, Nigeria is 3-0 but Oguchi has a total of
34 pts, 4 rebs, no assists.
His averages are 11.3 ppg, 1.3 rpg, and 0 apg.

[tornado]

The FIBA Africa Championships are finishing up this week, and Nigeria just beat Egypt 87-77.
Champ Oguchi had just 1-1 from the field, 1-3 from 3-pt, scored 3 pts, no asst, no rebs.

His averages for four games are 9.25 ppg, 1.0 RPG, and not a single assist in four games.
His team, Nigeria, is 4-0, and has two more games against Mali & Angola (both will be competitive as Angola is 4-0 and Mali is 3-1) and then they make the final eight teams who play off in tournament play for the FIBA Africa title on Saturday.

[tornado]

Nigeria beats Mali 74-70, Champ gets 13 pts, 3 rebs, 0 asst

[tornado]

Oguchi's Nigerian National team loses to Angola..93-85
Champ has a bad game...1-5 from 3-pt, only 3 pts, no asst.
his six game averages...

8.625 ppg, 1.67 rpg, and not a single assist in five games.

[tornado]

after the loss to Angola, Nigeria then lost as well to Cameroon to go 4-2 and fall out of contention for the Final Four.

Oguchi had 4 pts, no rebs, no asst....then Nigeria followed with a win over Senegal and now Nigeria plays in the 5-6th place game tomorrow...
Tough break as they had hoped to be able to play for the African Championships, and now likely won't even qualify to play in the World Championships.