MOZ - Needing to step up preparations

MAPUTO (AfroBasket/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Mozambique coach Milagro Macome is feeling the pressure less than three weeks away from the start of the AfroBasket in Cote d'Ivoire.

His aim is to get the national team in peak shape and have the players prepared tactically for the challenges ahead, yet there are hurdles that he is has to clear just to practice.

Having had a mini camp in Swaziland, Macome and Mozambique returned home to Maputo and have found it difficult to hold practice sessions at night.

"There is no place to train," Macome said. "We are working part-time and that worries me."

The location for the practice sessions during the day has been the Desportivo Pavilion.

Furthermore, Mozambique have wanted to nail down specifics on a foreign camp.

Egypt has been ruled out and while Spain and Turkey are possible destinations, nothing has been finalized.

The teams that Mozambique will face in the opening round are having a smoother build-up.

The Central African Republic has been working out in France, Angola in Spain and Cape Verde in Portugal.

"I am very concerned because the Afrobasket is soon," Macome said.

"We continue not to know when and where we are going to work out at a time that our direct opponents are outside their countries."

Mozambique's best-ever placing at an AfroBasket was in 1983, when they came in fifth in the tournament that was staged in Alexandria, Egypt.

Mozambique have played in every African championship since 2001, but not finished higher than 10th.

A top three finish is needed to qualify for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

FIBA