LUANDA (Angola) - Angola's goal heading to Abidjan is to bounce back from their poor performance two years ago.
Once a dominant force in the continent in the 2010s, in 2023, Angola recorded their worst result ever in Women's AfroBasket history.
At the time, the Southern Africans lost two (against Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea) of their three group phase games to finish tenth.
Heading to the 2025 edition, which is scheduled from Saturday, July 26, to Sunday, August 3, in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, Paulo Macedo's Angola team is bringing a strong squad.
Among its players are two-time Women's AfroBasket winner Nadir Manuel and the tireless Christina Matiquite.
They are looking to use their experience to win a medal. Can they return to their glory days? Despite not missing any of the subsequent five editions since their double title win, Angola has moved further and further away from the title, finishing tenth in the last edition held in Kigali.
Their best finish since their two titles came in 2015, when they lost the third-place game to Nigeria.
In the qualifiers, Angola faced Mozambique, a team whose glory days won them three silvers and three bronzes. Angola relied on their lethal shooters to secure an automatic spot in this year's competition.
Superstar Italee Lucas, who missed the 2023 event in Kigali, is expected to return to the continental event. If she makes the squad, she will be instrumental in Angola's quest. A former Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the African Club Championship, Lucas is eager to deliver for her country.
In the two-legged qualification tournament against Mozambique, the 36-year-old scored a double-double of 28 points and 11 rebounds. She combined with Sara Caetano's 10 points and 18 rebounds and Matiquite's 15 points to secure a 65-58 victory. She scored eight points in a 50-44 loss in the opening game.
With qualification coming down to a small margin, little-known Isabel Fernando's clutch free throw in the final seconds of the fourth quarter ensured a victory for Angola and their fans at the Pavilhão da Cidadela in Luanda, the capital city.
Coach Macedo has a mix of youth and experience on the provisional squad, including power forward Nadir Manuel, 38, who brings a wealth of wisdom to the court.
Manuel has played in seven tournaments so far and has two titles and a bronze medal to her name after over 20 years in the game.
Additionally, Matiquite was part of the championship-winning squad in 2011. She missed the next two tournaments but returned in 2017 and has been a mainstay ever since. She averaged eight points and 6.5 rebounds in the 2025 qualifiers.
Meanwhile, 21-year-old small forward Caetano announced herself in the 2023 edition by averaging 18 points per game. She was on form in the 2025 qualifiers, contributing 13.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game, and is expected to dominate in Abidjan.
Also expected to turn heads is 25-year-old Fernando, who is making her second appearance in the premier African women's national competition after her debut in Kigali. Her heroics on the charity stripe in the qualifying round should boost morale.
Coach Macedo has also called up U18 star Ana Servico, who is 17 years old. The BWB Africa 2024 Women's All-Star and Defensive MVP has impressed in the U16 and U18 competitions, so transitioning to the senior team should not be a problem.
FIBA