ANG - Barros happy with award honour

LUANDA (African Club Championship Cup) - Milton Barros admits he was surprised to be named MVP after his Petro Atletico de Luanda team won their first African Club Championship Cup last month.

Petro Atletico beat fellow Angolan side Primeiro de Agosto 76-71 in Lagos, Nigeria, with Barros shooting a three-pointer with just 30 seconds remaining.

But he told PA Sport: "I didn't expect to be awarded (the MVP) because there were such good players all over the tournament, and I was recovering from an injury.

"I wasn't 100% fit, but I did my best. I'm happy with the recognition anyway."

Petro Atletico were the reigning Angolan champions, but had never before won the continental cup, having been knocked out early in the competition last season.

"Reaching the final was always in our minds," added the 22-year-old Angola international, "and we won the trophy, which was even better, because it is our first trophy and now we'll fight for more."

Alberto Carvalho's side included two key new faces in their roster, namely Portugal international Francisco Jordao and American Shannon Crooks, and Barros believes the new-found teamwork was instrumental in their success.

He said: "Last year the manager didn't know the players very well, and neither did the players know him.

"But this year everything was different as we knew each other well, and we did well.

"We learned from last year's tournament that we needed to perform at the top level.

"This title shows that we, Angolans, are the African leaders, but we have to keep working hard with the youngsters in order to retain this status."

Angola have indeed accumulated several trophies in African continental competitions, but unlike some other African countries, they have no players competing in Europe or the United States.

"There are many reasons for that," explained Barros, "there are no proper agents who can show us the right way, and there is a lack of information on how a sport career must be managed."

Angola have won eight African titles, have been competing in tournaments such as the FIBA World Championships and Olympic Games regularly, and last year won the right to organise the 2007 Afrobasket, the winner of which will qualify to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Barros added: "The Olympic Games in 2008 is a goal, definitely. But first we have to win the Afrobasket here at home.

"We deserve much more attention from the Angolan authorities - we care about them, and they should care more about us too.

"A team that qualifies to the next round of a world championship, as we did, shouldn't face financial problems."

PA Sport