African champions Nigeria have avoided holders United States in the group-stage draw for the Women’s Basketball World Cup, which will take place later this year.
D’Tigress, who have won the past three African titles, have been drawn alongside hosts Australia, Canada, France, Japan and Serbia in Group B.
The USA, bidding for their fourth consecutive Women’s World Cup, will face Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, China, South Korea and one other side in Group A in Sydney.
Russia had qualified for the tournament, but world governing body Fiba has excluded Russian teams and officials from its competitions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
As a result, the final team to compete is yet to be determined, with a decision expected on 25 March when Fiba’s central board holds its next meeting.
The top four teams in each group will proceed to the quarter-finals at the tournament, which will be held from 22 September to 1 October.
The Americans, ranked number one in the world, swept past Japan to clinch a seventh straight Olympic Games gold last August and have won a record 10 World Cups.
