SHEFFIELD (Julio Chitunda's African Message) - Senegal had a blast in their capital of Dakar last week, where I witnessed the love that players feel for their supporters and vice-versa. 

Now, that the 'real' African Championship enters the Quarter-Finals and it becomes a lot tougher than the Group Phase, FIBA AfroBasket followers are wondering whether or not the Western Africans can prevail and win their first continental title in two decades.

After destroying South Africa, Egypt, and Mozambique in Group D, Senegal - as I write this column - are set to take on a stubborn Angola team, who have experienced some inconsistency in Group B, which resulted in a historic defeat to Morocco.  

As one of the three teams - along with Morocco and Tunisia - that have finished the Group Phase undefeated in three games, I truly believe that Senegal have played the most dominant game so far. 

They are currently 3-0 against Angola dating back to 2011 [this includes a warm-up game prior to the FIBA AfroBasket 2015 in Spain], nevertheless, by no stretch of the imagination can Senegal underestimate Angola.

Although the Angolans are slightly shorter than their Quarter-Finals opponents and record a lower field-goal percentage, they are experienced enough to step up when it matters most.

And, it's been over thirty six years (1981) since the eleven-time African Champions Angola last missed a spot in the Semi-Finals.

For Senegal to reach the FIBA AfroBasket semis for the third in a row, they must bring their A game to the table in Rades, on Thursday, September 14, and I'll be there to watch it live.

And if Porfirio Fisac's team do reach the last four, then we would have found the African champion in waiting. And the reason behind my argument is that Tunisia's 43.2 percentage from the charity stripe indicates some sort of pressure. 

After all, two years ago, Tunisia reached the last four, but somehow they stumbled against Angola, in what is considered to be one of the lowest scoring games in the history of FIBA Africa's most important competition.

With Gorgui Dieng, Mouhammad Faye, Maurice Ndour, and Hamady Ndoye all playing together for the first time ever, Senegal have a team that could put top European team to the test.

"The goal in Tunisia remains the same, we go out there and compete at the highest level that we can, and we'll try to win the championship," forward Maurice Ndour told me. 

Senegal last won the African title back in 1997 as hosts of the tournament.

Mouhammad Faye finished the Group Phase as Senegal's most efficient player

"We just have to keep going, and hopefully, we can win this championship. That’s the goal, but we’ll treat one game at a time," Faye said to me.

Can anyone stop the Senegalese train on the way to their historical moment? Angola have the first word.

Julio Chitunda

FIBA

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