The national pre-selection of male seniors, which will compete in the third qualifying window for the 2023 World Championship, was announced this Tuesday by the National Basketball Federation. The 25 chosen will compete in this qualifying round in Côte d'Ivoire, between the 27th of June and the 5th of July.
Featured in the call-up is Bruno Fernando, the only Angolan to play in the well-known NBA (North American Basketball League). Absent from Afrobasket in 2021 and also from the first window of qualifying for the world, as he was on schedule in the US 'Summer League', the post, which lines up with the Houston Rockets, is now back in the national team.
Another long-awaited return that is now taking place is that of Sílvio Sousa. The winger, involved in a lawsuit in the US courts, can now help the national team reach the World Cup, playing for the first time in more than one country.
The athletes from Preto de Luanda, who compete in the African Basketball League, will join the rest of the squad after participating in the final phase of the competition.
Call:
Bases: João Oliveira (ASA), Dimitri Maconda (Aris Holanda), José Nseka (Desportivo Kwanza), Kenneth Manuel (1.º de Agosto B);
Extremes: Glofate Buiamba (Interclube), Jerónino Luis (1.º de Agosto B), Sebastião Quicuame (Vila Clotilde), Geovani Kibinga (ASA), Anatoli Leandro (Desportivo do Kilamba), Wilson Ambrósio (1.º de Agosto), Alósio Andrade (Desportivo Kwanza);
Extreme posts: António Monteiro (Sporting Clube de Portugal), Sadraque Nganga (Boise St. USA), Paulinho Bala (Zentro - Spain);
Posts: Eduardo Francisco (Sport Lisboa e Benfica - Portugal), João Fernandes (Sporting Clube de Portugal), Jilson Martins (ASA), Teotónio Dó (1.º de Agosto), Sílvio Sousa (Chattanooga Mocs Men's Basketball - USA), Jilson Bango (1.º de Agosto), Jorge Filipe (1.º de Agosto B) and Bruno Fernando (Houston Rockets - USA);
At this stage of qualification, the selection has its debut scheduled against Côte d'Ivoire, then playing games with Guinea and the Central African Republic (CAR).
Remember that Angola is in second place in group C, with five points. In the lead is Côte d'Ivoire, with six points. Guinea is in third place with four points, and RCA is in the fourth and last position with just three points.
The competition to hand over the title of basketball world champion – belonging to Spain – is scheduled to take place from August 25th to September 10th, 2023 in three countries: Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.
