ANG - Cipriano in confident mood as Angola prepare for Japan

SINGAPORE (FIBA World Championship) - Angola star Olimpio Cipriano believes Alberto Carvalho's young side can make a big impact at the FIBA World Championship, despite admitting the team is suffering from fatigue.

The Angolan side has undergone significant reconstruction recently with Mario Palma, the nation's head coach for eight years, gone and experienced players like Angelo Vitoriano and Gerson Monteiro out of the squad.

But Cipriano, who starred in Angola's eighth African Championship title win last summer by scoring 22 points in the final against Senegal, believes they are ready to perform at the highest level.

"The only difference is that our squad is younger [than before]. We can achieve a better result than we did in the last World Championship and the last Olympics. We can do it," Cipriano told PA Sport.

"It's true we lack some height and weight compared to other teams. But we have our weapons and our opponents will feel it."

But the 24-year-old has also conceded his side's hectic training schedule has taken its toll on the players.

"This preparation phase is going well. The only problem is the time zones," said Cipriano.

"Over the last two weeks we've been in Spain and Qatar and now we are in Singapore. Next week we'll be in Japan. It creates tiredness, but we are all excited to start the tournament."

While in Spain, Angola lost a warm-up 97-73 to the hosts, however, Cipriano is certain there is better to come when the sides line up alongside Germany, Panama, New Zealand and Japan in Group B.

"In Spain we played at the same level as our opponents. We did have some fatigue, but we can do better than we did.

"Spain is one of the best teams in the world but we fought for the entire game. The final idea is that in the World Championship I predict a tough game", he added.

Angola squad: Olimpio Cipriano, Armando Costa, Carlos Morais, Milton Barros, Luis Costa, Antonio Carvalho, Joaquim Gomes, Emanuel Neto, Abdel Moussa, Carlos Almeida, Miguel Lutonda and Eduardo Mingas.

By Julio Chitunda, PA Sport
Exclusively for FIBA