Moreira urges Petro to prepare like a well-oiled machine for the 2024 FIBA Intercontinental Cup

 

LUANDA (Angola) - Yanick Moreira has been enjoying the basketball off-season at home in Angola and has taken time to bond with his family. And while the familial  ties are important, he is aware that he has to maintain conditioning with the next major competition being around the corner.

Moreira, an integral part of Petro de Luanda's success in clinching a maiden Basketball Africa League (BAL) in June, will be part of the Angolan club's mission to try and seize the 34th edition of the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in September (12-15) in Singapore.

"I have been spending time with my family. My daughter just had her birthday. I have been focusing on spending time with my family. Yeah, a new (basketball) season is coming, so I have to prepare for that," said the 2.11m (6ft 11in) center.

Yanick Moreira averaged 10 points and 8 rebounds during the 2024 BAL season

Having secured another season with Petro de Luanda, Moreira, who has won the [2019] Basketball Champions League (BCL) title and NBA G League title, looks forward to helping the Angolan club go further in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup than previous BAL winners.

"These are the kind of tournaments you want to play in. After I won the Champions League with Virtus Bologna, I never had the opportunity to play when they went. So getting the opportunity now with Petro, after winning the BAL title, means a lot," said the 32-year-old.

"We will be playing against other great teams from around the world. Maybe there will be a chance to compete against guys I played with in the past.

"I have another year with Petro. We will start practice soon, and the sooner we start the better. We have to get the chemistry right. So, when these games come, we are prepared."

 

The six-team tournament will see Petro line up against Spanish club Unicaja and Lebanon's Al Riyadi in Group B. Petro will have a mountain to climb, but can they scale new heights in this tough group?

Moreira says Petro's success hinges on how well they ready themselves for the competition.

"I think it's about how well we prepare ourselves. We have to play against other great teams. We cannot stay and depend only on our practices. I believe that is what Petro will do, they will prepare us because we cannot be home for 30 days and just practice, so that we can represent the country in a good way," said Moreira.

Yanick Moreira is the only player to win the BCL (2019), BAL (2024) and  the NBA G League (2017) - three competitions represented in the Intercontinental Cup

The big man has enjoyed a stellar career so far, having won in different parts of the world. Having recently won the BAL trophy he feels he still has more to offer especially to Angola, the hosts of next year's FIBA AfroBasket.

"It's definitely something I will cherish for a long time, it's one of the trophies that was missing. Many people when they talk about great players, it's those that have played for their countries and not the guys that have championships in different parts of the world," said Moreira.

 

"Also there were questions if I can help Petro win in Africa. Now that I have done it, I ask myself 'What else?' What else is missing? Maybe it will happen with the national team next year, who knows? Who knows?

FIBA