LUANDA (FIBA Africa Champions Cup Women 2017) – In a bid to conquer Africa, nine teams will go neck-to-neck in the battle for continental supremacy at the upcoming FIBA Africa Champions Cup Women 2017 set to tip off from November 10-19 in the Angolan capital city of Luanda.

Zone 6 and Mozambican champions Ferroviario de Maputo come into this edition as pre-tournament favorites to win the title that has eluded them since the inception of the continental showpiece in 1985. 

However, they face a daunting challenge from 2015 champions Primeiro de Agosto and the defending winners InterClube both from Angola as seen at their regional qualifiers in Botswana last month. 

"We want to win. We have to go out there and play as a team. We shall have the home support. It is an exciting experience. I look forward to that. Defense will be the difference for us." - Gidden

Two-time African champions First Bank of Nigeria will once again attempt to end the dominance of Angolan and Mozambican clubs with an eye on their first championship trophy since 2009. 

Algerian giants GS Petroliers are the only representatives from North Africa and with this in mind, they will approach the tournament with careful scrutiny to post a positive performance representative of the force they are back home. 

Debutants Equity Hawks from Kenya along with perennial outfit Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) come into this one hoping to make a better case for themselves than East African sides have achieved in past editions.

ASB Victoria and SB Darling Motema from the Democratic Republic of Congo not only bring a physical aspect to this tournament but will be gunning for glory against Africa's best with determination and hunger for success.  

In an exclusive interview with FIBA.basketball, Primeiro de Agosto center Vanessa Gidden said, "We want to win. We have to go out there and play as a team. We shall have the home support. It is an exciting experience. I look forward to that. Defense will be the difference for us."

Primeiro de Agosto defeated InterClube 69-53 in the 2015 Final to emerge victorious in front of a split home crowd in Luanda and two years down the road, both sides know that it could come down to this. 

FIBA