Magolico picks three favourites to battle for AfroBasket 2015 glory

MAPUTO (AfroBasket 2015) - The rosters for AfroBasket 2015 are yet to be confirmed, but Mozambique international Octavio Magolico has already chosen the three strongest teams.

"Angola, Tunisia and Nigeria are in my opinion the strongest teams in the championship, and one of those teams will win the tournament," he said to FIBA.com.

A good result for us in Tunisia would be a fifth-place - Magolico

Meanwhile, one thing Magolico has done more often than most throughout his international career is play against Angola.

The undersized 2.00m center has taken on the Angolans in four African Championships since he made his senior national team debut in 2005.

And, last week's AfroBasket 2015 draw once again set Mozambique in the same group (B) as the reigning champions along with Morocco and a team to be determined through the attribution of wild cards process later this month.

Should Magolico stay injury-free by the time this year's edition of the African Championship tips off in the Tunisian cities of Nabeul and Tunis, from 19 to 30 August, he could face Angola for the fifth time in six stagings of the continental event.

"I know the Angolan team well," he recalled.

Despite their four defeats in as many games against their fellow Southern Africans, Magolico believes Angola's efficiency and organisation makes a big difference, compared to most African nations.

"They are good, but we are more talented than them," the Ferroviario de Maputo star insisted.

The 30-year-old backs this statement based on recent performances against the 11-time African champions.

Two years ago in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, Mozambique led Angola by one (38-37) at half-time, but ended up being blown out 91-73.

Still, Magolico, who led Mozambique in scoring and rebounding in that tournament, feels they can do a lot better this summer.

"Our performance in the tournament depends on the level and quality of our preparation programme. We have a new coach, we have experienced players, and a group of talented young players coming up this year. I think we are going to do well in Tunisia," he said.

What makes Mozambique inconsistent, Magolico says, is the lack of adequate support from the country's basketball federation as well as shareholders.

In the first game of the AfroBasket 2013, Mozambique upset the Central African Republic (CAF) 70-66.

But three consecutive defeats to Angola, Cape Verde and Cameroon, compromised the rest of their campaign.

"Our motivation to go to the African Championship comes from our love for the game of basketball.

"We need more support than a slap on the back," he noted.

However, Mozambique could show up at Tunisia 2015 with a relatively revamped team as they showed in last month's Four Nations Challenge in South Africa, where they claimed a silver medal after losing to Nigeria in the decisive game.

Horacio Martins took over from former head coach Milagre Macome, and a number of promising stars could have their chances.

For Magolico, a lot of those new players "could bring something special to Mozambican basketball."

Asked about Uganda and Zimbabwe, a pair of teams making their debut at the continental championship, Magolico said: "I don't know much those teams. We just need to welcome them to the AfroBasket and expect they bring some quality."

FIBA