CONAKRY (Guinea) - Can Guinea be more than just numbers at FIBA Women’s AfroBasket 2021?

The last team to join this year's FIBA Africa's premier tournament for women will have to bring their A-game if they want to reach another level of competition. 

When the Guineans were awarded the wild card by FIBA Africa, they had just had fallen short against Cape Verde, after losing 132-124 on aggregate in a two-game regional qualifier in June, in their capital city of Conakry.

Being part of Africa’s basketball high-mass is only one of the steps. The next one would be to exist on the court and make sure their voice and game is noticed.

Here are some key elements about Guinea.

Team: Guinea
FIBA Ranking: 99^th (World), 17^th (Africa)
Last participation in the FIBA Women's AfroBasket: 2017 (1 win, 10 defeats, 10^th place)
Best result at FIBA Women's AfroBasket: runners-up (1966)
How they qualified for the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket 2021: Guinea benefited from wild card to take part in the Championship.
World: Guinea have never qualified for the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup or the Olympics, despite their one-time feat in 1966.

History/Qualification: A former silver medalist at the FIBA Africa Women's AfroBasket, Guinea have fallen down in the ranking.

Since 1966, when the tournament only featured four teams and they finished second, they have gone down to 5^th (1970), then to uneventful seventh, eighth, and 10th place finishes subsequently.

Back in 2017, when they last featured at the Women's AfroBasket, they ranked 10^th, only getting the best out of their clash with Tunisia. This was their only notable feat of the tournament.

Now it is time for Guinea to show that they will be in Yaounde to be more than just numbers.

Key players: Is Fanta Berete one of Guinea's player to watch for the upcoming Women's AfroBasket. The other one is Batouly Camara, a former standout at the Connecticut University.

Recently awarded with a local MVP title, the 5ft 11 (1,8m) Berete has matured since 2017, when she finished with an average 2.5 points per game. Will she be able to carry the weight on her shoulders this time?

Head coach: Ousmane Camara has had on and off stints at the helm of the national squad over the past few years.

He has coached Guinea men's squad for the FIBA Basketball Word Cup African Qualifiers 2019.

What to expect from him? Maybe hope that he can redress the team and help them find their winning ways again.

Outlook: It looks very difficult for Guinea to get past the Group Phase in Yaounde. Drawn in Group C alongside title contenders Senegal and eye-flying Egypt, Berete and teammates will have to bring more than just tactical and technical abilities if they want to make it to the Second Round.

 FIBA