USIU Flames eye Semi-Finals at Maputo showdown

NAIROBI (FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women 2016) - Kenyan side USIU Flames will be looking for a Semi-Final spot at the upcoming FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women set to take place from 25 November-4 December in Maputo, Mozambique.

The Flames, who were runners-up at the Zone 5 qualifiers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, are dreaming of finishing in the top four with the final also in their sights.

This year with the presence of veteran post player Angela Okoth and the support she will give Sarah Chan in the front court we expect to crack the Quarter-Finals hurdle " .- Nson

With the acquisition of veteran forward Angella Okoth, the Flames are  confident that they will mount a challenge against the best sides in Africa.

"This year, with the presence of veteran post player Angela Okoth and the support she will give Sarah Chan in the front court, we expect to crack the Quarter-Finals hurdle and get to the semis," Abel Nson, the team's assistant coach said confidently to FIBA.com.

Last year in Angola, Chan was named amon the top five best players at the continental tournament. However, Nson expects USIU to step up to the occasion and help out the remarkable South Sudanese forward in the front court.

Shooting guard Zipporah Odhiambo said: "We are pushing ourselves in training and the national league is also ongoing so it is also trying to help us to prepare for the Championship in Mozambique."

USIU's debut at the 2013 edition of the FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women saw them fall to fellow Kenyan outfit Eagle Wings 83-66 in the Quarter-Finals before they rallied to finish fifth with a 4-2 record.

Our target this year is to perform better than we did last year." - Odhiambo

Their performances in 2014 and 2015 are forgettable ones as they lost all four of their games and finished ninth in Tunisia before settling for 10th in Angola last year to mark their worst performance and Odhiambo wants her side to improve on this display.

"Our target this year is to perform better than we did last year," she said. "Just like Lupita N'yongo said, 'Our dreams are valid'. But I still insist with my first statement of performing better than last year. If we get to the semis and to the final, it will be a plus to us."

The Flames, however, have to overcome the jinx that is losing to fellow Kenyan sides at the continental level. In 2013, they lost to Eagle Wings in the Quarter-Finals and this year at the qualifiers, lost to eventual champions Kenya Ports Authority who also defeated them in the national league.

Nson said: "Most of our players and staff have been at that level for the past three years and have enough experience I believe to hold our own out there this time around."

However, the Cameroonian tactician is worried about the turnover of players at the university side where players that graduate move on to other teams for one reason or the other.

"It is quite challenging because we only field our own students and they graduate. So depth has been our main issue but this season we are a bit better with Angela Okoth's presence," he explained. 

Okoth, who was part of the Eagle Wings side that made it to a third-place finish back in 2013 in Morocco, has been handed the captain's armband and will be expected to lead the Flames to a top four finish at the continent's biggest women's club basketball championship.

FIBA