ANG - History-making Libolo

LUANDA (D1/FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament) - It didn't take long for Recreativo do Libolo to join the elite in Angolan basketball.

The club, launched in 2008, claimed a 91-82 victory over Primeiro D'Agosto to capture the championship.

No other side from outside the capital of Luanda had ever won the title, so Recreativo do Libolo have made history.

Recreativo do Libolo area originally from Kwanza Sul province, which is 310km from the capital, but due to a lack of infrastructure, Libolo play their home games in Luanda.

Mayzer Alexandre came off the bench four minutes from the end of the first quarter with his team facing a double-digit deficit and provided much of the inspiration for the winners in Luanda, where the championship was decided.

At the break Libolo, as the team is widely known in Angola, led 43-38.

Mayzer led Libolo with 22 points while D'Agosto's American star Reggie Moore had a game high with 32.

Raul Duarte, Libolo's coach, told FIBA.com: "Mayzer has worked very hard throughout the season, and he had fantastic contributions to the team.

"He came on when we were 12 points down, and my players found him in the right place and right time for him to make three-pointers, which is his strongest point."

Angolan internationals Olimpio Cipriano and Luis Costa added 20 and 11 points, respectively, for Libolo.

Palma tips his hat

Primeiro D'Agosto are led by Angola's former national team boss, Mário Palma.

The veteran tactician, who will coach Portugal this summer in EuroBasket 2013 qualifying games, failed for the second time in two years to capture the national league title.

Last year's winners Petro de Luanda finished third this season.

Libolo's first victory may be indicative of a new era in Angolan basketball as D'Agosto are the national team's main providers.

The club has given Armando Costa, Joaquim Gomes, Felizardo Ambrosio, Domingos Bonifácio, Carlos Almeida, Leonel Paulo, Gerson Monteiro and Miguel Lutonda to Angola.

They won the Angola Cup this year, but last won the national league two seasons ago.

"There are no excuses," Palma said.

"Libolo was the better team. We gave everything, but it was impossible to win the national title."

Asked whether Primeiro D'Agosto were in decline, Duarte said: "The only thing I know is that they had good signings, including Reggie Moore, Leonel Paulo and Domingos Bonifácio, three of our former players.

"And they signed a coach with an impressive history on the national and international stage.

"Our team was very humble throughout the season, but very hard working."

Libolo finished seventh in last year's African Clubs Cup in Rabat, Morocco.

"I will have a meeting with the club board and show them that we need strength some points of team including playmaker and center positions," Duarte said.

Angola and the OQT

Angola, meanwhile, will play at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in early July in Caracas, Venezuela.

Duarte knows what the OQT involves, as he led Angola women's national team, at the 2008 OQT in Spain.

He said: "The tournament is very competitive as teams taking part are extremely strong.

"But if the national team has an adequate preparation program, they may be able to do well."

Asked about the performances of some of the national team's players throughout the national league, Duarte said: "Eduardo Mingas showed some improvement in the last games of the season, whereas Joaquim Gomes and Felizardo Ambrosio may recover.

"They will have a break now and I am certain they will come back stronger for the national team."

Cipriano, left out of the national team for the past two years, has returned to Angola squad.

For the second time in two seasons, Cipriano claimed the national league's MVP award. 

FIBA