2015 Afrobasket

[Mika Hakinen]

This is the worst tournament I have ever watched!

[Dtown]

Congrats to Nigeria to their first title and second straight trip to the Olympics!

[kamokamo]

Finally, Nigeria is Fiba Africa champions! Congratulations brothers!

[JGX]

Wasn't able to watch the knockout stage but sounds like there were lots of close games. Happy that D'Tigers are going to D'Olympics.

While there are a good number of "diaspora players" in the tournament, it is great that there are relatively few mercenary "naturalized players", even though a lot of the teams would be greatly improved with a strong American point guard.

[CKR13]

Congratulations to Nigeria! This is even better than 2011 and 2012. See you in Rio, D'Tigers.

[Terrorizer]

Hi everybody!

I'm watching my first Afrobasket and I would like to comment on the fact that we can hear here and there about the fact that African continent would deserve more teams for the Olympics and World Championship. It is an understatement to say that I completely disagree with that. I understand that I have seen just a few games but the level that I saw in these 3 games (Gabon-Capo Verde, Angola-Egypt, Nigeria-Senegal) is very low in comparison with the standard European and American (South/North) teams.

My sensation is that African basketball has definitely improved, because of the dramatically increasing number of players who go to NCAA or European championships. It means that the talent is being developed all right.

But where it looks very bad is when we're coming to the basketball technique and IQ.

...

And you guys? What do you think about this Afrobasket?
I agree with you that it seems that the global level has increased, and that more teams can pretend to a title.
But the result is here : Angola again hangs on the top like an angel.

I watched not enough of this edition of AfroBasket (unlike some previous ones) but in general I do agree with some of your points. Nevertheless, I think that level of African basketball as a whole is growing. More competitive teams, more players who are able to build a solid career in Europe, less sloppy plays (yeah, it really is a case if you compare current situation with what we have some 10 years ago). Truth is that level of organization, team-play and discipline continues to be very low. Yet growing, as I hope.

Offensive organization still suffers the most as hardest of the African teams contrive to play both stagnantly primitive and overly adventuristic on offense. Yet individual talent is present and in this department African basketball progresses a lot, even if most of the time this talent isn't adequately managed. Moreover, there is a lot of improvement in defensive organization in African basketball, many teams who lack in individual talent and 1-on-1 defense quite successfully use zone defense and overall show a decent to solid level of defensive teamplay and interaction. In fact, I suspect that strengthened and improved defense makes offense in this tournament to look not very impressive. Yep, for example, many fast breaks went down horribly wrong with sloppy moves and retarded shots instead of arranging an easy lay-up but it is in a lrage part due to the fact that opponents now are trying to play some dedicated (and often competent!) defense in these situations as opposed to passive watching of how opponents will arange that easy lay-up. It's just one example but I think that it's pretty indicative of why some games look like brickfests. It's just really improved defense prevailing over improved yet not on that scale offense.

By the way, I think that it is quite logical that Angola was dethroned and that it was exactly Nigeria who did it. I expected this outcome (Nigeria as champion) even before the start of tournament. Congrats to the new champs!

Angola and, to a lesser extent, North African teams show how improved coaching, building a good team chemistry, arranging proper team-play and forcing your 'stars' to adopt to it makes national teams a whole lot of levels stronger. I hope that more and more African NT will learn this lesson and follow this way.

[greenarcher]

LOL 47 vs 16 attempts in the FT line. What happened?

[Federoy]

This is the worst tournament I have ever watched!

Apparently you didn't watch the 2013 FIBA Americas Tournament

[Mika Hakinen]

Why Angolians are not going to play in Europe? Carlos Morais could play at the Euroleague level, or be a star in the Eurocup. What is the salary in the Angolan League?

[Mika Hakinen]

Siauliai signs Assem Marei, interesting move!
http://www.afrobasket.com/Egypt/news...ns-Assem-Marei
http://www.bcsiauliai.lt/NAUJIENOS/S...Assema-Marei-u