MAR - Africa women's top club competition set to tip off in Morocco

MEKNES (African Clubs Cup for Women) - By the time the African Clubs Cup for Women (ACCW) tips off on Friday (22 November) in Meknes, Morocco, Angolan clubs Primeiro D'Agosto and Inter Clube de Luanda will be the only participating teams that have won the trophy in the last decade.

Reigning champions Liga Desportiva de Maputo of Mozambique will not take part for administrative and managerial reasons.

Morocco does not rank among the top African women's basketball programmes, but this may be about to end when the North African country gathers the continent-based finest players in the next few days.

The ACCW runs until 1 December and will welcome newcomers Dolphins of Nigeria and United States International University (USIU) from Kenya as they join Africa's other top teams.

Nigerian four-time champions First Deepwater rank among the title contenders after claiming the bronze medal two years ago.

First Deepwater travel to Meknes aiming to step onto the podium but they will need to perform better than their showing last year when they finished seventh in the 10-team ACCW in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.

Angolan champions Primeiro D'Agosto will count with the services of international players who are expected to represent Angola and Mozambique at the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women in Turkey.

Mozambique internationals Deolinda Gimo and Leia Ndongue join Angola's Sonia Guadalupe, Luisa Tomas, Ana Goncalves, Nacissela Mauricio, Fineza Eusebio, and rising star Rosa Gala for D'Agosto.

Inter Clube Luanda, winners of the tournament in 2010 and 2011, signed Mali international Meiya Tirera from Tunisia side CS Sfaxien and will count with AfroBasket Women 2013 champions Catarina Camufal, Clarice Mpaka, Astrida Vicente, Felizarda Jorge, Nguendula Filipe and Nadir Manuel

Last year, Inter Clube de Luanda lost 53-43 to Liga Desportiva de Maputo in the ACCW Final, but this year Apolinario Paquete's team is one of the favourites to win the tournament.

Kenyan side Eagles finished ninth last year and their participation may be affected by sponsor constraints.

"We appreciate the support we have received from the government. We however still are in a dilemma because flying to Morocco is one thing but without accommodation and meals then we cannot be able to travel," says Agina Wesonga, the team's manager.

Wesonga explained they have already requested FIBA Africa to re-schedule their games as they may arrive in Morocco late, according to the local media.

Kenya international Hilda Indasi who now plays for USIU, and represented Eagle Wings last season at ACCW, shared her thoughts about the competition with michezoafrika.com: "It will be of great value especially because we have a very young team that is determined to rise to the top of the game in Kenya. This therefore will serve as a good exposure the talents we have and I hope we will come home with some good results."

The tournament is expected to consist of two Moroccan teams, including Club Omnisports de Meknes (host club) and Ittihad Riadi de Tanger, First Deep Water and Dolphins (Nigeria), I.N.S.S and Arc En Ciel (Democratic Republic of Congo, Eagle Wings and IUSU (Kenya), Angolans Inter Clube de Luanda and Primeiro D’Agosto.

FIBA