|
|
Hapoel sign Wabara
Lior Klinger
,09/12/2006 |
Italy's Abiola Wabara, a Baylor University graduate, signed with Israeli league champion Hapoel Tel Aviv for the 06/07 season.
Abiola Wabara (24, 6'0) who graduated from Baylor in 2006 is Hapoel Tel Aviv's 2nd European player for the upcoming season. She joins British Rosalee Mason and Americans Tanisha Wright & Tamicha Jackson. Mason is currently playing in the Eurobasket qualifires for Division B. In England's first game, a 72-66 win over Estoina, she had 17 points and 15 rebounds.
Wabara's parents are both originally from Nigeria but she was raised in Parma, Italy. She moved to the U.S to attend Baylor in 2002, and won the NCAA championship in the 04/05 season.
Wabara plays both forward positions and is known for her great defense and ability to defend all positions. She plays with a lot of aggressiveness and is remarkably strong, she can use her strength and athleticism to drive the lane and post up. Wabara speaks four languages; Italian, English, Nigerian and Spanish. Before the WNBA was founded, Wabara played with Cynthia Cooper on Parma's club team.
Wabara red-shirted her first season at Baylor (02/03) due to a knee injury. She missed the first seven games of the 03/04 season due to NCAA regulations regarding players with professional past. In the 04/05 season Wabara started the final 22 games of the season and helped lead Baylor to their first ever Final Four. She scored 12 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in the semi final game against Siemone Augustus' LSU. In the finals against Michigan State she played 10 minutes as the Lady Bears beat a #1 seed for the 3rd time in a row to capture the title. In her last season at Baylor, Wabara won the Big-12 co-Defensive Player of the Year award, and averaged 8.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.
Wabara had one more season of eligibility left in Baylor but decided not to return for a 5th year. She was not drafted but was invited to the L.A Sparks' preseason training camp and didn't make the team.
Latest stories
|
|
|
Print
|
|
|
|
|