Angola's new generation hungry and competitive
As the southern Africans contemplate how to arrest their continental trophy drought, they first have to negotiate qualification for next year's AfroBasket tournament.
LUANDA (Angola) - One of Africa's greatest basketball nation has experienced a lean spell in recent years. Angola have gone ten years without lifting the AfroBasket title.
As the southern Africans contemplate how to arrest their continental trophy drought, they first have to negotiate qualification for next year's AfroBasket tournament.
The new crop of players showed that Angola still has potential with their qualification to last year's FIBA Basketball World Cup in Asia.
But can it translate into success ahead of their 2025 AfroBasket qualification process?
FIBA.basketball looks at how the eleven-time African champions will shape up in next week's qualifying tournament in Monastir, Tunisia (21 February - 25 February).
The country: Angola produced the greatest generation to have played basketball on the continent. Jean Jacques da Conceicao, Joaquim Gomes, Eduardo Mingas, Olimpio Cipriano, Miguel Lutonda and Carlos Morais are some of the most talented players to have worn the Angolan red and black trim. They have since moved on and passed the baton on to a new crop of players.
The team: This new Palancas Negras are not short of talent in every position, and a player who can win a game can easily be named. Also, the Angolan team's oldest player is 30-year-old Joao Fernandes, an indication of how top-heavy on youth this team is.
History: Angola's history of success reads like a storybook. They have won eleven AfroBasket titles, appeared in nine FIBA Basketball World Cups, and participated in five Olympic Games. Ranked 34th in the world, the Angolans have been the standard bearer in African basketball.
AfroBasket 2021: Like in the 2017 AfroBasket, Angola bowed out in the Quarter-Final stage of the tournament four years later, and they lost to the same opponent, Senegal. It was probably a sign that they needed a rebuild.
Head coach: Angola's federation has opted for continuity with their coaching department. Spaniard Josep Claros Canals, who qualified and coached the Palancas Negras for the Basketball World Cup, continues in his role.
Key players: Gerson Goncalves is one of the most experienced players in the squad. The shooting guard can also take on the role of floor general. He plays at a controlled pace, which can deceive opposing defences.
Childe Dundao is not the tallest player in the team, but he can get to the rim with his explosiveness. The point guard's 14 points per game, 2.6 rebounds per game and 5.2 assists per game at last year's Basketball World Cup are a testament to his value to the team.
Big man Silvio de Sousa is another player who came into his own in the Asia showpiece with averages of 11.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Those numbers are a vast improvement from when De Sousa played in the 2017 AfroBasket. That year, he averaged 5 points per game and three rebounds per game. Angola will bank on to do damage in the paint during the continental qualifiers.
Opponents: Angola, are in Group E and will take on AfroBasket qualifiers host Tunisia, west Africans Guinea and a side that sucker punched them in the second round of the 2021 AfroBasket qualifiers, Kenya.
Conclusion: Angola will always have a lot to live up to because of their stature on the continent. They and Tunisia will be among the favourites to gain automatic qualification in Group E.
FIBA