Angola's Paulo inspires Petro to national league title

LUANDA (AfroBasket 2015) - Angolan Leonel Paulo sat out the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup due a hand injury, but the setback has not prevented him from dreaming big.

At the time, he vowed to comeback strong and set out this year's AfroBasket a top priority.

So far, things are going according to plan for the Petro de Luanda forward.

On Tuesday, Paulo, who was voted the Most Valuable Player in the regular season of Angola's BIC Basket League, came up with 20 points and five rebounds as his Petro de Luanda beat the star-studded Recreativo do Libolo 90-84 in Game 7 of the Finals in Luanda.

Paulo, a 1.94m highly athletic forward is not only a key piece for the newly-crowned champions throughout the Final series. He is also one of top options for the Angolans who will open their AfroBasket 2015 campaign in Group B against Morocco, Mozambique and Senegal.

And, judging by his current form, Paulo could play his fourth consecutive AfroBasket.

Paulo's teammate Roberto Fortes added 15 points, but the championship game belonged to Dominican Emmanuel Quezada who finished with game-highs 34 points and 10 assists.

Quezada was voted the MVP of the Finals.

In the stands, Angola's newly-appointed head coach Moncho Lopez took notice of potential fits for the African champions.

Carlos Morais had 24 points in Libolo's losing cause and Valdelicio Joaquim added nine. Eduardo Mingas did everything in his power to help the reigning champions defend their crown, but his 15 points and 12 rebounds were not enough to prevent Petro de Luanda from claiming their second title since 2011.

Libolo shooting guard Olimpio Cipriano, another key member of the Angolan national team, had a game to forget on Tuesday, finishing with just four points in 32 minutes.

"It was tough. We played the best way we could, but we made some mistakes in the final minutes of the game. Congratulations to Petro de Luanda for the title,” Mingas said after the game.

Petro de Luanda’s coach, Cameroonian Lazare Adingono, who is expected to guide his country at this year’s AfroBasket, saw the nerve-racking Finals from the stands after being suspended by the Angolan Basketball Federation.

FIBA