ANG - Big three making waves in Angola

LUANDA (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Last summer, Carlos Morais, Olimpio Cipriano and Eduardo Mingas all played key roles in Angola's AfroBasket 2013 title run, which qualified the country for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup to be staged in Spain.

Morais and Mingas went on to make the All-Tournament Team along with Egypt's Assem Marei, Diabate Moulokou of the Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal's sharpshooter Maleye Ndoye.

Now, the Angolan trio is making the headlines in the country's BAI Basket League with local side Recreativo do Libolo which is unbeaten in four games in the postseason.

Last summer, Libolo made their intentions clear of winning all domestic and African competitions as they signed reputable Portuguese head coach Norberto Alves, had Mingas come over from Inter Clube de Luanda, Morais joining the star-studded side from Petro de Luanda and keeping Cipriano who is on his second season with the club.

They have been so effective this season that Libolo is the frontrunner to clinch the national championship, to be decided by mid-May.

Morais, who spent the entire pre-season with the Toronto Raptors before being cut two days prior to the start of the 2013-14 NBA season, is the league's leading scorer, averaging 21 points per game. Cipriano contributes 17.5 points per contest for Libolo and Mingas averages 15 points.

The trio's excellent moment of form is concerning news for reigning champions and potential finalist Primeiro D'Agosto which has Angolan internationals Joaquim Gomes, Reggie Moore, Felizardo Ambrosio and Armando Costa.

The three members of Libolo's 'Big Three' - who became regulars for Angola in the past few years - are likely to feature for the 11-time African champions when the World Cup tips off in August.

The Angolans will open their Group D campaign, which will be staged in Gran Canarias, with Korea on 30 August, before they take on Lithuania, Mexico, Slovenia and Australia.

FIBA