Road to BAL Elite 16 Round: Team Profile - COSPN

 

ANTANANARIVO (Madagascar) - Madagascar's Club Omnisports Police National (COSPN) head to the East Division Elite 16 Road To BAL qualifiers aiming to be the second club from the island nation to qualify for the BAL.

COSPN will arrive in the Johannesburg showdown (November 22-27), unbeaten in the preliminary qualifiers held in Madagascar last month.

Their results will give them a world of confidence as they embark on a tough qualifying tournament.

FIBA.basketball looks at how the Malagasy club will fare in the tournament that will take place at the Ellis Park Events Arena, Johannesburg.

TEAM: COSPN

HISTORY IN FIBA AFRICA/BAL: The Malagasy debuted in Road to BAL qualifiers back in 2019. As hosts of Group D, COSPN missed out on the knock-out staged of the qualifiers after losing all three games against Petro de Luanda (Angola), Smouha SC (Egypt), and ASB Mazembe (DR Congo). 

This is COSPN's second appearance in a major continental competition.

BEST RESULT IN FIBA AFRICA/BAL: COSPN were unbeaten in the preliminary round of the BAL qualifiers. They will, for the first time, journey to the Elite 16.

HOW THEY QUALIFIED FOR THE ELITE 16: The Malagasy club were unbeaten in the preliminary round. COSPN beat Comoros club Djabal Club and Kenya Ports Authority.

STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: Judging by their performance in the preliminary qualifiers, COSPN look like a solid outfit.

They will face a stern test from more experienced opposition in the Elite 16.

KEY PLAYERS: COSPN will look to the like forward Elly Randriamampionona, who was the team's leading scorer and passer of the ball in the preliminary qualifiers.

Randriamampionona has become a well-known figure in African basketball landscape for the past few years. From featuring for Madagascar youth national teams to making it to the senior team, the 25-year-old sharpshooter has made his name for himself.

He has displayed hist talent in the inaugural BAL season while playing for former Malagasy champions GNBC.

A terrific three-point shooter, Randriamampoinona is likely to be go-to guy for the Policemen.

The Malagasy club will also rely Madagascar international players, guard Livio Ratianarivo for points and rebounding, and Rashawn Langston, another proven scorer for COSPN.

HEAD COACH: Jean De Dieu Randrianarivelo, who  has only joined the club during the past year, has the mission to ignite a fire of belief in the COSPN team ahead of Elite 16.

OUTLOOK: COSPN are a team with potential and will look to be the second Malagasy team qualify for the BAL, after Gendarmerie Nationale Basketball Club (GNBC). The question is, 'Can they make it? Time will tell.

After tasting defeat in the 2019 edition of the Road to BAL, heading to Johannesburg on the back of a 2-0 record from Group D not only presents a new challenge to COSPN, who will play their most meaningful games away from home for the very first time, but it will also test the team's real progress.

COSP may be described as outsiders, but, like their national team, the Malagasy are known for their fearless and tireless attitude, and can never be overlooked as they also have absolutely nothing to lose.

FIBA