Joel Almeida stresses need for Cape Verde to keep growing momentum

PRAIA (Cape Verde) - The date of the first window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 African Qualifiers is fast approaching with eight countries strategising ahead of the first jump-ball in the Angolan city of Benguela.

And Cape Verde seem poised to continue with their brilliant run from the last edition of FIBA AfroBasket held in August in Rwanda as declared by one of the Islanders reliable shooting guard, Joel Freitas Almeida in a recent chat with FIBA.basketball.

"I AM CONFIDENT THAT WE SHALL ACHIEVE OUR SET OBJECTIVE AND THAT IS TO BE AMONG THE THREE TEAMS FROM THE GROUP GOING INTO THE SECOND ROUND."- Joel Almeida

The 36-year-old averaged 14 points, 5.3 rebounds and two assists per game to help his country reach the Semi-Final of FIBA Africa's premier tournament after fourteen years.

Cape Verde did cause some stir at the Kigali showpiece which saw them defeat Africa most decorated side Angola and also upstaged fellow Group A side Uganda to reach the Last Four this year's African Championship.

The Islanders' latest performance suggests they are not ready to back down going into the first window of the African Qualifiers which will run from November 26-28 in Benguela.

"I am confident that we will have a good outing in the first window of the FIBA World Cup [African] Qualifiers but with great respect to our other Group A opponents, Nigeria, Mali and Uganda," said the 1.94m (6ft 4in) guard.

"Yes Nigeria is a power house when it comes to Africa and world basketball and so we are not deceived with the make-shift team they presented during the AfroBasket in Kigali, Rwanda but I am confident that we shall achieve our set objective and that is to be among the three teams from the group going into the Second Round.

"We are psychologically, emotionally and physically prepared for the task ahead and we're poised to achieve that," said the man, who plays for Kutaisi in Georgia SuperLeague.

Joel considers himself lucky to suit up alongside his younger brother Ivan Almeida in the colours of their national team.

Voted twice as the best player in the Georgian SuperLeague this season, the swingman is happy that most of the players who represented Cape Verde at the AfroBasket 2021 will be available for Coach Emmanuel Trovoada as they perfect their journey to Benguela.

Cape Verde, who ranked 100th in the latest FIBA World Ranking, will return to Benguela, a city with a significant Cape Verdean community.

If Cape Verde finish in the top three of their group they will qualify for the Second Round, where "Anything is possible to secure one of five tickets [for African team for the World Cup in Indonesia, Japan and Philippines]," Joel Almeida recalled. 

FIBA