En route to the Olympics
The Angolan Basketball team's win at the African Basketball Championship bought it a qualification ticket to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Inas Mazhar reports
Defending champions Angola beat Nigeria 85-65 to win its seventh title in the history of the African Basketball Championship that ended in Alexandria last week. The Angolans won all seven games played in the 10-day event, proving their spot in the championship spotlight. The championship was the start of the team's preparation route for the 2004 Olympic Games.
Perez Ferreira, head of the Angolan delegation, said he was extremely happy with the victory. "We won because we deserved it," he told the press. "We're glad to qualify to the Olympics. For some of the team players, the veteran ones, that's their last chance to play in the Olympics. They might retire after the Games. That's why Angola was so keen to win."
Angola has represented Africa in three previous Olympic Games, and has several appearances in the World Championships.
The Angolan win came as a blow to Egypt -- who disappointed the crowd of raucous fans. With five titles to their name -- the last in 1983 -- Egypt was hoping for its sixth. The Egyptians were stopped and silenced, however, in a humiliating 82-68 semifinal defeat by the Angolans. The Pharaohs compensated their loss of the title, instead, by securing the bronze medal podium step. The battle for bronze was decidedly close. With four seconds to go for the match, Alexandria's Ahmed Mounir threw a 3-point shot to snatch a precious 81-79 victory over Senegal. That point proved critical -- turning around angry fans who had started to lose hope in their team.
The biggest surprise of the tournament were silver medalists Nigeria, who carved out their place in the finals by beating Senegal 78-55 in the semifinal.
The 12-team, two-division format championship saw post-preliminary action carry Nigeria and Egypt to the semis from group A, and Angola and Senegal from group B. Alexandria 2003 marked the championship's 22nd annual holding.
Mahmoud El-Habashi, president of the Egyptian Basketball Federation expressed his sorrow at Egypt's loss, but commended Angola for its solid play and well-deserved victory.
"We organised the championship in order to win it and make a repeat of the 1983 edition when Egypt beat Angola in the final of the tournament," El-Habashi said. "But 20 years later, the Angolans took their revenge, but in the semifinals," he added, offering his perspective on the future. "I believe in juniors and young players. If we nurture junior teams under 16 and 18 in the coming years, we'll definitely regain our supremacy in the continent."
El-Habashi took the opportunity to address the heated talk about potential sacking of head coach, Adel Sabri -- former Gezira Club coach -- saying he had "no comment". Sabri has been shunned for taking on seven Gezira Club players. Following Egypt's defeat by Angola, and the team's modest performance, fans made their feelings felt, chanting "Gezira, Gezira".
"There's no time to change the head coach or replace him," El-Habashi said of immediate plans. "We have two important upcoming events in which time is very important. The Arab championship is next week and at the beginning of October there's the All-Africa Games in Nigeria. This coming period of time is for the head coach and his assistants to work on correcting their mistakes," he added.
In the classification matches, Central Africa beat Tunisia 75-64 in a play-off for the fifth and sixth places. Algeria came seventh with a 68-61 victory over Morocco. South Africa claimed the ninth place with a 77-70 win over Mozambique, who placed 10th. Cote D'Ivoire came in 11th with an impressive 87-52 win over Madagascar, who came at the bottom of the tally.
In other championship claims, Egypt's team captain, Ismail Ahmed of Alexandria's Ittihad was named "best player of the tournament", while his teammate Ahmed Mounir received special recognition for his promising as a player. Nigeria's Anyiannaya Munoneke was named tournament top scorer.
Several scouts from Europe and the famous American NBA league attended the championship in search of new talent. Faruq Akagun of Turkey, and representative of the USA Pistons club, said that after 10 days of observation, he can circle 13 players with the potential to turn pro in Europe or the USA. Three players from Egypt were selected; Ahmed El-Gazar, Ibrahim El- Adawi and team captain Ismail Ahmed. Two players from Angola; Abdul-Aziz Moses and Jacob Gomez. Three from Central Africa; Regis Koundija, Romain Sato and Asrangue. Madou Atef was the only Tunisian on Akagun's list. Other scout picks included Kouame Lody Franck, Affeli Amani, Amalabian Blaise, Berthe Mohamed, Banny Vassy Darek, and Senegal's Ndoye Al-Haji, Konare Issa, Badiane Malick and Ndong Boniface.
The coming months will see Egyptian coach Sabri attempt to whip his team into shape, to save not only his players' grace, but also -- more significantly -- his own.
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : 21 - 27 August 2003 (Issue No. 652)
Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/652/sp1.htm