Mbiandja prescribes more youth tournaments for Cameroon's renaissance

YAOUNDE (Cameroon) - There was an outburst of excitement at the Yaounde Sports complex as Cameroon's women's team edged Nigeria 71-70 to seal their spot in the Final of the FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2015.

The fixture had been palpitating, a true display of basketball acumen worthy of a Semi-Final of the continent's pinnacle nations jamboree and maintaining its suspense till the very end.

The host Cameroon buoyed by an electrifying home crowd had made history by worming their way to their first ever AfroBasket Final.

Prior to the Youndee exploit, the "Lionesses" as Cameroon's women's basketball team is nicknamed, had played three Third-Place games, losing all.

"THESE GIRLS NEED A LOT OF COMPETITION. IF WE CAN ORGANIZE GAMES WITH THE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES, IT WILL BE GREAT FOR THEM."
- Priscilla Mbiandja

Hopes for a maiden continental title for the :Lionesses" were dashed to the winds by a supremely talented Senegal side but for most diehards of Cameroon, the 2015 tournament was perhaps the springboard to continental conquest.

Two disappointing performances in the 2017 and 2019 AfroBaskets where Cameroon finished eighth and tenth have put to rest hopes of any continental domination.

Priscilla Mbiandja, who suited up for Cameroon at the 2015 and 2017 events before joining the coaching staff for the 2019 tournament, believes the national team's decline is down to inconsistency.

"The team was changed and since then it's been a rough situation for us," Mbiandja disclosed to FIBA.basketball. "Since 2015 we have had different players and it's tough creating a bond and team philosophy if the players keep changing.

"In 2015 we had some new girls but the core of the team had been together since 2007. We had played so many games that we understood one another.

"In 2017, the team was revamped at almost 80 percent and it difficult blending well.

"In 2019, the staff had to bring in some new players and things changed again. It takes times to build a solid team and while you're in the process, there's a decline."

Mbiandja, who played at five AfroBaskets herself, thinks Cameroon's dwindling fortunes can be reversed through viable long-term projects.

The former INJS point guard is upbeat that developing more grassroots projects can patch Cameroon's recent troubles on the continental front.

"There are little steps being taken here and there to improve women's basketball team but there's more that can be that.

"It was good seeing the U17 girls' team in the recent FIBA Skills Challenge. At least one thing is certain, there is talent locally.

"Mali, for example, have vibrant youth teams that participate in a lot of competitions and perhaps we can tap from their experience.

"Some years ago we didn't have youth teams and now we have U17 teams. That's good but we have to ensure that those kids can play regularly.

"These girls need a lot of competition. If we can organize more games with the neighbouring countries, it will be great for them. From there you can easily spot a player's weakness and how to take care of it.

"We have some good players in the local academies but they need to compete against the best kids too perhaps across the continent. It will help our girls grow and will definitely be an added value for the national team in a few years.

"The local academies too must be included in the picture. They have a cardinal role to play because if the foundation isn't good, it becomes very difficult to get resilient and talented girls who can succeed in basketball."

Mbiandja (in the rear) embracing life on the bench at the 2019 Women's AfroBasket

Now aged 31, the 1.75m (5ft 8in) Mbiandja hopes she can be a key cog in influencing the next cast of female basketballers in the Central African nation.

Since retiring from international basketball after the 2017 AfroBasket, the Yaounde native has been honing her skills at coaching, joining Cameroon's staff at the 2019 tournament in Senegal.

"I enjoy being a coach and it's really something I miss doing," Mbiandja stated. "It's something I want to pursue and hopefully I can have more opportunities at the local and international level to do it.

"I could still be playing basketball but I felt the time was right to leave and coaching is something I'm passionate about.

"I think my experience could be helpful and I hope I can contribute to changing the narrative around women's basketball in the country," Mbiandja concluded.

FIBA