ANG - Champions Cup faces delay

LUANDA (Africa Champions Cup for Men) - The 22nd Africa Champions Cup for Men has been delayed for three weeks because of organisational reasons.

Initially scheduled to take place in Angola from November 23, the tournament will not now start until December 13.

Toni Sofrimento, Angola Basketball Federation (FAB) general secretary, explained the decision to FIBA.com, saying: "Due to some organisational reasons we have been forced to delay the event until December 13 to 22.

"The qualifying campaign finished only last weekend and we needed some more time to prepare some details.

"It will be a great moment of basketball in Angola."

Trophy holders Petro Atletico de Luanda are preparing their campaign in Serbia and runners-up Primeiro de Agosto are warming up in Brazil.

There will also be the chance for other clubs to make an impact in the event according to Sofrimento.

"We will have the best teams of Nigeria, Mali and Ivory Coast," he said.

"So we have reasons to be expectant, as they will measure their potential against our top three teams.

"It comes just after the AfroBasket 2007, and a few weeks before the Angolan league starts so it shows the Angolans have passion for this game."

Sofrimento also confirmed the nine-time African winners would be interested in host the FIBA World Championship.

He also admitted that the AfroBasket 2007 was a good sample of their organisational ability.

"After hosting the 2010 African Cup of Nations we will have better hotels, good accommodation structures, our road and rail networks functioning properly so yes we will consider this," he said.

"In six months we were able to build four new pavilions.

"We have just proved that we are able to organise great events. With our country on track for good economic development since the end of the war [in 2002] we, the Angolans are very enthusiastic for sports."

Angola will be the most represented country with Petro Atletico de Luanda, Primeiro de Agosto and Interclube. Democratic Republic of Congo will have two Onatra and Kauka.

The other teams who have qualified are Ferroviario da Beira (Mozambique), APR (Rwanda), MBC (Guinea Conakry), Stade Malien (Mali), Niger Potters (Nigeria), ABC (Ivory Coast) and ASPAC (Benin).

By Julio Chitunda
FIBA