ANG – Duarte sizes up the giant hurdles to clear for Angola

FUENLABRADA (FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women) – Angola’s women have landed in Fuenlabrada on the outskirts of Madrid hoping for a “miracle”.

Drawn in Group B of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament with the Czech Republic and Argentina, the Angolans know they will have to be at their best to even have a chance of taking one of five places still up for grabs for the Beijing Games.

“Those teams’ [Argentina and Czech Republic] international experience could make a difference against us,” Angola coach Raul Duarte said to FIBA.com.

“If we qualify, it will be a miracle. It would be an outstanding mark in our history. We will need to play at our best.”

The Czechs won the 2005 EuroBasket Women gold medal and the majority of their players are members of European giants Gambrinus Brno, a team led by national team coach Jan Bobrovsky.

This season, Gambrinus made it to the final of the EuroLeague Women before falling to Spartak Moscow Region.

Argentina, like the Czechs, played at the 2006 FIBA World Championship.

“If we look at the rankings, it may say what we are 42nd, the Czechs are ninth and Argentina 12th,” Duarte said.

“I still believe that we may have a chance against Argentina, though.”

Angola will have six warm-up games before the qualifying tournament that starts on June 9 in Madrid.

On Wednesday, Angola played a friendly against a team from Navarra and this weekend, the Africans take on Spain. Then, two days later, they go up against Japan. Both Spain and Japan are playing in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Next Week, Duarte’s women will face New Zealand twice and their last warm-up game will be against Cuba.

Duarte said: “These games will improve our form before the competition. They will help us a lot. So far everything is running well.

“We are beginning to accept, though, that the qualifying tournament will be difficult for us.”

Meanwhile, Angola have suffered a blow with the loss of guard Catarina Camufala, who starred at last year’s FIBA Africa Championship where they claimed a bronze medal.

“She is a quick guard who could give us more speed, organization and a tough defensive game. Unfortunately, she has had a nose operation,” Duarte said, before admitting again that the Group B games will be extremely hard for his players.

“The Czech Republic are ninth and Argentina are 12th," he repeated. “Their domestic competitions are superior to ours.”

RAUL DUARTE PROFILE
1988 - Assistant coach. Angola women.
1990-1992 - Assistant coach - Angola women
1992 - Head coach (women) - FIBA Africa Championship, Senegal
1994 - Head coach (women) - FIBA Africa Championship, Johannesburg, South Africa
1997- Head coach (women) - FIBA Africa Championship, Kenya
2001 - 2004 -Assistant coach of Mario Palma, with Angola Men.
Currently, Duarte coaches both Primeiro de Agosto (women) and National team

FIBA