ANG - Mission accomplished for MVP ‘Naci’

LUANDA (Olympics) – Nacissela Mauricio fulfilled a lifetime aim when she fired Angola to their first Afrobasket Women title this year.

The result clinched a spot in next year’s London Games.

The Angolan men have played at Olympics before, but not the women.

For Mauricio and the Angolans, everything began horribly wrong at the Afrobasket Women 2011 in Bamako, Mali.

They started with a 63-42 defeat to defending champions Senegal, but ultimately enjoyed a fantastic Final with a majestic 62-54 win over the Senegalese to capture gold.

The day of that title win, October 2, was one Angola power forward Nacissela had hoped for since she launched her career at Maculusso, a minor club in the Angolan capital.

Now, at 31 and with six years of Spanish second division experience - she has played for Oviedo, Valladolid and Badajoz - Nacissela is living “a unique moment” in her career.

“To make it to the Olympics means everything I have worked for in my playing career,” she says to FIBA.com.

Naci, as she is warmly known in Angolan circles, added 12 precious points in the Afrobasket Final to a personal career that she says simply “could not finish without at least one international title.”

“I still have some years to play, but I have always dreamed of retiring with an African gold medal around my neck,” she says.

“The secret of that title was a great determination to win, and denial to lose.

“Once we beat Mali [in the Semi-Final], we stepped onto the court relaxed and humble, with the feeling that our objective - of improving the third place (from Afrobasket 2009) - was accomplished.

“We had a enormous self-belief and ambition to do better, and we did.”

With their status as Olympic first-timers, Angola are the only African representative among the seven teams confirmed for London.

The world champions United States, EuroBasket gold medalists Russia, Asian champions China, Oceania winners Australia, FIBA Americas Championship winners Brazil and Great Britain also have spots in the tournament.

The other five sides to play in London will be determined at the 12-team FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women.

Going to the Olympics gives Angola a new challenge.

The aim is for the women to “improve their competitiveness.”

“Those teams”, Nacissela says “have the advantage of playing many games during a season, something that does not apply to our team.

“This is not an excuse, it is just a fact we face.”

Angola’s women league is comprised of only four teams, all of which are based in the Angolan capital of Luanda.

They play a regional and national championship, a Cup tournament and Super Cup, which involves the championship winner against the Cup winner. If a team wins a double, the runner-up plays the Super Cup.

Inter Clube de Luanda - sponsored by the National Police – has given seven players to the national squad while Primeiro de Agosto – sponsored by the military forces - supplies five.

“Our league restricts us to just over 20 games,” Nacissela says.

“All we need to do for a good Olympic campaign is have an early preparation rather later, and play in a couple of international tournaments.”

FIBA