Afrobasket Final ‘07: Odd favours Angola

Angola who would parades set of players that have played together for more than five years both at club and national team level backed by expertise of Portuguese-born coach, Alberto Carvalho, nicknamed “Ginguba” meaning Nuts.

Angola have remain the most consistent team in the continent and having represented Africa at the Olympics since 1992, have won the Africa Championship eight out of the nine previous editions in 1989 (Angola), 1992 (Egypt), 1993 (Kenya), 1995 (Algeria), 1999 (Angola), 2001 (Morocco), 2003 (Egypt) and 2005 (Algeria). They placed second and third in (2nd Egypt – 1983), (2nd Cote d’Ivoire – 1985), (3rd Tunisia – 1987), (3rd Senegal – 1997).

Cameroon on the other hand cannot boast of any record in the championship to date as they remain an under dog and were not given a chance to be in the last four due to their basketball pedigree in Africa but they have proved that they can actually contest for the title which they will doing against Angola Saturday having qualified for the grand finale beating former basketball power-house Egypt in the semi-finals by 58-52 points.

The Cameroonians will bank on their youthful coach Lazare Adingono who was a former national team player and assistant coach of Canisius College in the United States of America.

The Cameroonian coach who is younger than Angola guard and veteran player, Antonio Victor De Carvalho will contend with expertise of Angolan coach Carvalho who will unleash his full squad on the younger Cameroonian team.

Some players to watch in the final on the side of the Angolan team: the defending champion will bank on 2005 most valuable player – 6”5' forward, Cesario Cipriano Olimpio who plays club competition in his country league with Desportivo 1. DE Agosto basketball club of Luanda. Born April 9, 1982 and was at this year's NBA summer league of the Detroit Pistons.

He is a long standing member of the Angolan national team.

Miguel Timoteo Pontes Lutonda – he is the captain of the side and veteran of the Africa Championship, having been part of the Angolan national team since 1999 when they hosted and win to pick to continent sole ticket to the 2000 Olympic Games.

36-year old Lutonda started his career in Cabinda with Sporting Banca, he later moved to the capital, Luanda and team up with Atletico Sporting Aviation (ASA) in 1996 where he was till 1999 before putting pen on paper for Agosto where he has remained since.

Antonio Victor de Carvalho - at 38 years, he still wax stronger than some younger players in the continent today, a veteran of many Africa Championships, World Championship and the Olympics.

Standing at 6 feet 5 inches, Carvalho is renowned for his three points shot and can wreck any team if allow some space.

The Angola off-guard play club basketball with reigning Africa Champions Club winner and the Angolan league champion Petro Atletico basketball club of Luanda since 1998.

Cameroon – Luc Richard Mbah A Moute – youthful Luc is the engine that ignite the Lions, a 2003 Basketball Without Border camper, an NBA/FIBA development camp is a never-say die player who believes that the game is not over until the referees’ final whistle.

Born some 19 years ago in Yaoundé, Cameroon, young Luc is a sophomore student of the University of California and played a big role in his school qualification for the NCAA final-4 this year.

He has been of tremendous form since the championship dunk-off on August 15 especially in the quarter and semi-finals against Cote d’Ivoire and Egypt.

Gaston Essengue – 6”8 power forward university of Nevada, Las Vegas 25-year-old Gaston will bring his raw strength to the fore in Saturday final and most be at his element to curtain the foray of Angolan forward Joaquim Brandao Gomes.

The former Fleuron basketball club of Yaoundé player was a delight to watch in his school prosecution of the 2007 NCAA league and contributed to the school qualifying for the sweet-16.

Joachim Ekanga-Ehawa – the oldest player in the squad, Joachim play professional basketball with French side ES Chalon-sur-Saone basketball club in the French Pro-A league.

Joachim career has seen him play for three different clubs in the French league and the Cameroonian team need such experience player to serve as guide to the younger player in order to rattle Angola whose been having field day since the championship.