DAKAR (Senegal) – One team at least will be discovering what the Africa Champions Cup for Women is all about. ASC Ville de Dakar, who hail from Senegal, will be travelling to Maputo on discovery mode, while carrying a suitcase filled with the intention of upsetting some of the big names on the continent.

There are some things that one needs to know about the current Senegalese champion.

FIBA.basketball dives into their history and brings you some facts about the Dakar-based club.

The club was founded back in 1984, and was originally called the AS Municipality of Dakar, a name they kept until 2014, when it was changed to AS Ville de Dakar. It was also around that time that the club climbed up to the women’s top division, all thanks to the means offered by the City of Dakar.

So much so that they finally won their first major trophy in 2017. It was the Senegal National Cup, when they beat the Dakar University Club.

They, however, had to wait two more years to become national champions. Coupled to that national title, they once again won the national cup, this time against St Louis Basket Club. They went on to clinch two more doubles in 2020 and 2021.

In 2022, they once again brought two trophies back home, adding a national title and a national cup to their trophy cabinet.

Which brings us to the Africa Champions Cup for Women 2022. They were originally set to be part of the 2019 edition. But the COVID-19 pandemic forced them and everyone else to review their plans.

So, now, they’re heading to Maputo with the will to experience a first at the Africa Champions Cup for Women, but also with much confidence about the mark they want to leave.

Across the years, the team have built a core of players. Around point guard Elma Malou, stand other players capable of making a difference, such as their captain Fatou Kine Kane, says Yatma Diaw, one of the club’s managers.

Now, the big question is: what does ASC Ville de Dakar bring to the table ? “Lots of things”, admits Diaw. He stresses on the fact that they have it all. "We have a seasoned coach, who has had international exposure. So we know we can rely on his knowledge to progress as far as possible. We have international players who compete at the highest possible level in Africa. And we want to mark our stay in Maputo."

The head coach indeed bears quite some name. Ousmane Diallo, now in charge of the technical running of the club, is the former assistant to Moustapha Gaye, who went on to become Senegal’s technical director. “He has followed Gaye and now handles the club perfectly.”

With some days left become the tip-off, AS Ville de Dakar have to prove they belong and that they deserve their spot. There is much excitement about their first trip to Africa’s flagship competition for women’s clubs.

“We are out to make some noise and to make sure everyone remembers our name. We have the players that can make a difference and we will find a way to make it.”

FIBA