LUANDA (AfroBasket 2015) - Spaniard Moncho Lopez has agreed a seven-month contract to coach Angola at AfroBasket 2015, which will take place in Tunisia this summer (19-30 August).

Lopez replaces former Angolan international Paulo Macedo, who guided the Angolans to their 11th continental trophy two years ago in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.

Under Macedo, the Angolans finished 17th (out of 24) at last year's FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain, following defeats to Lithuania, Slovenia and Mexico, which prevented the African champions from advancing to the Final Phase for the first time in four consecutive World Cup appearances.

At the time Macedo threatened to quit for alleged criticism and personal attacks to members of his family, but he later told FIBA.com that he was available if considered for the job.

The Angolan Basketball Federation (FAB) chose Moncho after considering a list of five Angola-based head coaches, but, apparently none matched Lopez. 

The 45-year-old, who currently coaches Dragon Force in the Portuguese second tier, will not start working with Angola until March.

Meanwhile, Lopez's assistants Emmanuel Trovoada - widely acclaimed for leading Cape Verde to a third-place finish at AfroBasket 2007 - and Manuel da Silva Gi, who coached Angola's side at the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship in Dubai, will guide the Angolans at the All-African Games qualifier in Harare, Zimbabwe, from 21 to 27 February.

More than anything, Lopez - who helped his native Spain finish runners-up at EuroBasket 2003, and later coached Portugal, has been charged with the task of getting Angola back in the Olympic Games map again.

Angola lost to Tunisia in the Final of the AfroBasket 2011, and, consequently, missed out on direct qualification for the 2012 London Games.

The Africans went on to compete at the 2012 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Caracas, Venezuela. They opened up with a famous 88-84 victory over F.Y.R of Macedonia (MKD), but losses to Russia and New Zealand proved costly.

Lopez' contract with Angola will expire immediately after the Final of the AfroBasket, a qualifying tournament for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

If the Angolans win the tournament, there are good chances that Lopez will be in charge of the team headed to Brazil.

He becomes the second foreigner to coach Angola since Frenchman Michel Gomez was sacked midway through AfroBasket 2011.

The Angolans have a history of success with foreign coaches, including Guinea-Bissau-born Portuguese Mario Palma who masterminded Angolan to four AfroBasket titles.

Unlike Gomez, Lopez has an advantage of speaking fluent Portuguese and knowing Angolan basketball.

In recent months, he has organised coaching skills clinics in the country and has already mentored Trovoada on a number of occasions.

Lopez has a reputation of being a student of the game himself, and with a pool of talented Angolan players, their chances of succeeding seem increasingly high.

FIBA