Angola announce 15-player preliminary squad for Cairo showpiece
LUANDA (2016 FIBA Africa U18 Women's Championship) - Angola coach Elisa Pires has announced a 15-player preliminary squad for the upcoming FIBA Africa U18 Women's Championship
LUANDA (2016 FIBA Africa U18 Women's Championship) - Angola coach Elisa Pires has announced a 15-player preliminary squad for the upcoming FIBA Africa U18 Women's Championship set for 26 August - 4 September in Cairo, Egypt.
Pires has made no mistake and included seven members of the U16 side that finished third at last year's FIBA Africa U16 tournament in Antananarivo in Madagascar.
| Angola's 15-player preliminary squad for 2016 FIBA Africa U18 Women's Championship | |||
| Lauriana Antonio | Neuma Avelino | Breone Caculo | Irene Cafumo |
| Adalberta Candeias | Neusa Candido | Graciete Garcia | Canata Miguel |
| Valeriana Moxi | Valeria Nascimento | Edvania Pascoal | Regina Pequeno |
| Avelina Peso | Juda Quindanda | Teresa Sacato | |
Regina Pequeno, who plies her trade for Angolan outfit Inter de Benguela in the topflight women's league, is expected to replicate her performance from last year.
The 1.70m shooting guard had an average of 15.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in Madagascar to inspire Angola to four wins and three losses including two to Mali and another to Mozambique who they eventually edged 52-48 in the third place playoff.
Valeria Nascimento, Valeriana Moxi, Breone Caculo, Edvania Pascoal, Canata Miguel and Irene Cafumo are the other familiar faces when Angola takes to the court in the Egyptian capital with the sole aim of scribing their name as the best side in Africa.
To emulate their fellow countrymen who lifted the trophy three weeks ago in Kigali, Rwanda, the 1998 African champions must dig deep to edge the dominant Malians who are fresh from finishing 11th at the 2016 FIBA U17 Women's World Championships in Zaragoza, Spain.
The reigning African champions and five-time record winners Mali have been dubbed as tournament favourites along with Mozambique, hosts Egypt but Angola know that overcoming them will take extraordinary effort.
The last time Angola made it to the Semi-Finals was back in 2004 when they finished fourth after losing the Third Place playoff to Mozambique 62-37. Return to African glory will be very motivational for Pires' girls.
FIBA