Almeida backs champions Angola for greatness

LUANDA - Angolan basketball legend Carlos Almeida now a Member of the country’s Parliament has admitted that the current FIBA Africa U18 Champions are the future of basketball in his home country.

Angola lifted the continental title in style unbeaten in eight games including two famous victories against the reigning champions and tournament favourites Egypt to bag their first African U18 title since 1988.

Almeida, who attended the Final in Kigali, Rwanda alongside 2013 FIBA AfroBasket MVP Carlos Morais, told FIBA.com that it was important to show support to the young boys as they are the future generation of Angolan basketball.

"It is very important because we are trying to reach the future. When we have a tournament like this, it means a lot for Africa. Good players, good tournaments for the development of Africa," Almeida said.

A seven-time African champion with Angola at the FIBA Africa Championship, four-time FIBA Africa Champions Cup winner with Primeiro de Augusto, played twice at the Summer Olympics in Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 as well as two appearances at the FIBA World Championships in 2002 and 2006, Almeida has seen it all.

We expect a lot from the youth. We keep working a lot to make sure the youth do well because these players are the next generation.-Almeida

Angola clinched their eleventh continental title at AfroBasket 2013 in Abidjan,Cote d'Ivoire

Almeida's decorated basketball career was nothing short of hard work, commitment and determination, values that he says are instilled in Angolan youth basketball players right from the academies.

"We need to develop basketball inside our countries. Once we have done this then it will be possible to play abroad like in Europe or the NBA. More chances will come when we have developed basketball and this has been the stronghold of Angola for all these decades," he adds.

With the emergence of the tournament MVP Silvio Sousa and Bruno Fernandes who made their senior team debut at the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade, Serbia, Angola can look to the future with high expectations.

Almeida believes that even more youth have what it takes to join the senior team a few years from now as long as they continue to excel at youth tournaments like the one in Kigali that brought out the best in the participating teams.

He said, "For us as Angolans, we expect a lot from the youth. We keep working a lot to make sure the youth do well because these players are the next generation."

Almeida was also full of praise for the hosts Rwanda who finished in fifth place, their highest finish at this tournament.

The former shooting guard explained that their success was due to the ability to motivate the young players to develop their game, an aspect that all African nations should embrace to make it to the next level.

Angola, Egypt and Mali will represent Africa at the 2017 FIBA U19 Championship in Cairo, Egypt. This will be the first time the international event will be staged on African soil.

FIBA