SPAIN 2014 - Team in focus: Angola

LUANDA (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - The 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup is just around the corner. In the lead-up to the biggest international basketball event, we take an individual look at all 24 teams.

Country: Angola
FIBA bwin Ranking Men: No. 15
Last participation in the FIBA Basketball World Cup: 2010 (2 wins, 4 defeats; 15th place)
Best result in the history of the FIBA Basketball World Cup: 9th place (2006)
Result in qualifying tournament for 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup: Winners of AfroBasket 2013 (7 wins, 0 defeats)

Angola didn't waste any time in reminding the rest of the world who the kings of African basketball are.

After a surprising runners-up finish in 2011 to Tunisia and then an unconvincing display at the 2012 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Caracas, Venezuela, the Angolans returned to the AfroBasket battles last year breathing fire and steamrolled every team in their path.

In Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, Carlos Morais put on the performance of his life and scooped the Most Valuable Player honor after leading Angola to an unbeaten record and first place.

The hosts of the event, Cote d'Ivoire, did make things uncomfortable for Paulo Macedo's side in the Semi-Final, charging back from a 23-10 deficit to lead 36-33 at half-time. But Angola took control in the third quarter, outscoring the home side 21-10 and clinched a 66-59 victory with Morais and Reggie Moore each pouring in 13 points to pace a balanced scoring attack.

Morais then equalled his highest scoring game of the tournament with 21 points, drilling four of his eight three-point attempts, and corralled eight rebounds as Angola beat Egypt, 57-40, in the Final.

The continental title triumph was their 11th dating back to 1989, with only Senegal (1997) and Tunisia (2011) as the other teams ending on top of the podium during their incredible run of success.

Morais, an athletic 1.92m shooting guard, will again be a man to look out for as Angola look to not only claim a top-four finish in Group D to advance to the next round, but also go deeper into the tournament than in the past.

The aim is to play well, game by game, and grow as a team as the tournament progresses.

Angola have yet to reach the Quarter-Finals of a World Cup, so making it at least that far is a goal.

When they finished ninth in 2006 in Japan, the national side did come very close to reaching the Last Eight but fell to France, 68-62.

Macedo, who took the helm ahead of last year's AfroBasket, once ran up and down the court himself for Angola.

He was a member of their side that played at the 1986, 1990 and 1994 FIBA World Championships.

The 46-year-old will know that experience is vital in international competition, so the presence of 35-year-old forward Eduardo Mingas and Joaquim "Kikas" Gomes will be important for the African champions as they set out to make their mark.

With the United States in Group C, Angola will hope to avoid a repeat of 2010 when they faced the USA in the first game of the knockout phase and were blown out.

To face another side, a top-three finish in Group D is likely needed.

FIBA