George Washington University Athletics
Oha Headed to Athens
7/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
July 30, 2004
Washington, DC - Former George Washington University women's basketball star Ugo Oha '04 has been selected to the compete in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Oha has been named to the Nigerian Olympic Team, while another former women's basketball standout, Elisa Aguilar '00, is vying for a spot on the Spanish Olympic Team.
Oha, the Colonials' all-time leader in blocked shots (355), is one of 12 players on the Nigerian team, which qualified for the Games for the first time by winning the African Championship.
"It's very exciting," Oha said. "I'm proud and honored to be part of the first Nigerian team to compete in the Olympics. No African country has ever won a Women's Olympic basketball game, so it's quite a thrill to have this opportunity."
Oha (Houston, TX), a 6-foot-4 center, played in the post for GW from 2000-04. Besides holding the school record for blocked shots, she also finished her career eighth on the all-time scoring list (1,558 points) and sixth in rebounds (785). Oha was a three-time All-Atlantic 10 Conference selection and was chosen as the league's Defensive Player of the Year in 2002 and 2004. She was also selected as the conference's Rookie of the Year in 2001.
Oha and her Nigerian teammates are currently in Turkey playing exhibition games, having concluded their training camp in Stuggart, Germany on July 27. The team will remain in Turkey until August 4 when it heads to Greece for the first-ever FIBA Diamond Ball Tournament for Women, which tips off on August 5. Nigeria is one of six teams in the Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament competing in event with Brazil, China, Australia, Korea, and Greece rounding out the field. The Nigerian team is scheduled to arrive in Athens on August 13 for the Opening Ceremonies and its first game is scheduled for August 14 against Australia. Nigeria is part of Group A along with Australia, Japan, Russia, Greece, and Brazil.
Aguilar, a fellow GW alumnae, also hopes to be making the trip to Athens. She hails from Madrid, Spain and is competing for a spot Spain's Olympic Basketball Team. Aguilar has survived the initial round of cuts, but has not been named to the final roster yet.
Aguilar, a 5-8 guard, played three seasons for the Colonials (1997-2000) and ranks 12th all-time in points (1,322), third in three-pointers made (210), and first in career free-throw percentage (.843, 252-of-299). She was named to the All-Atlantic 10 First Team in 1999 and 2000 and earned all-conference second-team accolades 1998. Aguilar was also the Atlantic 10's Rookie of the Year following the 1998 campaign. After her time in Foggy Bottom, Aguilar spent a year playing professionally in Spain before joining the Utah Starzz of the WNBA in 2002.
Aguilar contributed eight points in Spain's, 80-56, trouncing of Belgium in the opening round of a three-day tournament in Valencia, Spain on July 28. Spain also squeaked past Russia, 55-53, on July 29 and will play Australia in the tournament final on July 30. The Spanish team will also square off against the United States, Poland, and Russia in a two-day tournament on August 8-9 in Salamanca, Spain. From there, the team will make its way to Greece, arriving in Athens on August 11. Spain's first game will be on August 14 versus the Czech Republic in a Group B showdown. The United States, China, New Zealand, and Korea round out the six-team group.
The Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament lasts from August 14-28 with the top four teams in each group advancing to the quarterfinal round, which begins on August 25.
