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ANG - Primeiro de Agosto win FIBA Africa Champions Cup
LUANDA (FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Men) - The FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Men title will remain in Angola for at least another year after Primeiro de Agosto triumphed against Petro Atletico de Luanda at Pavilhao da Cidadela Desportiva in the Angolan capital, Luanda.
On Saturday night veteran playmaker Miguel Lutonda poured in 13 points to lead Primeiro de Agosto to a 61-53 against defending-champions Petro Atletico de Luanda.
Primeiro de Agosto led 33-25 at half-time and they maintained their eight-point advantage to the end.
Petro Atletico's American playmaker Shannon Crooks top scored with 18 points, but the Angolan champions were unable to defend their African title.
Despite Lutonda's outstanding performance, Primeiro de Agosto boss Jaime Covilha insisted it was a team victory.
He told fiba.com: "I agree that he had good game, but I prefer not to single out anyone in particular. I reckon this was a team win. We played very well offensively and defensively."
Covilha, who was Mario Palma's assistant coach when Primeiro de Agosto claimed the competition title in Cairo in 2004, added: "We started the game with a tremendous determination to win. We assumed always the leading position.
"I acknowledge that Petro wanted to win this game, but we wanted it much more. Our team was very well prepared to realise this win. It was not an easy win, though."
Primeiro de Agosto's board invested heavily after losing both the African and Angolan titles to rivals Petro Atletico last year.
Portugal international Francisco Jordao signed from Petro, while Cape Verde internationals Marques Houtman and Rodrigo Mascarenhas, who made an impact in the recent AfroBasket 2007, signed from Portugal outfit FC Porto.
Covilha said: "Yes, we have new good players with great quality. What we need was to create conditions for them to make winning even easier. They are still adapting, which is understandable."
This is the third African title for Primeiro de Agosto after consecutive victories in 2002 and 2004, before the event became annual.
In the bronze-medal game, Abidjan Basketball Club (ABC) beat Angolan outfit InterClube de Luanda 60-53.
The Ivory Coast team, who beat the Angolans in the final of the competition two years ago, were behind 26-24 at the break.
InterClube coach, Manuel de Sousa "Necas" admitted mistakes had been costly, but congratulated the Abidjan side.
"We didn't remain calm and stumbled towards the end of the game", he said.
"They took advantage of our lack of composure at an important moment of the game. If there were a draw in Basketball, I think that it would have been the fair result.
"They were not superior to us but I have to congratulate them for the victory"
The final rankings of the 22nd FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Men were:
1st. Primeiro de Agosto
2nd. Petro Atletico de Luanda
3rd. Abidjan Basketball Club (ABC)
4th. InterClube de Luanda
5th. Niger Potters
6th. APR
7th. BC Onatra
8th. ASB Kauka
9th. MBC
10th. Aspac
11th. Stade Malien
12th. Ferroviario da Beira
LUANDA (FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Men) - The FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Men title will remain in Angola for at least another year after Primeiro de Agosto triumphed against Petro Atletico de Luanda at Pavilhao da Cidadela Desportiva in the Angolan capital, Luanda.
On Saturday night veteran playmaker Miguel Lutonda poured in 13 points to lead Primeiro de Agosto to a 61-53 against defending-champions Petro Atletico de Luanda.
Primeiro de Agosto led 33-25 at half-time and they maintained their eight-point advantage to the end.
Petro Atletico's American playmaker Shannon Crooks top scored with 18 points, but the Angolan champions were unable to defend their African title.
Despite Lutonda's outstanding performance, Primeiro de Agosto boss Jaime Covilha insisted it was a team victory.
He told fiba.com: "I agree that he had good game, but I prefer not to single out anyone in particular. I reckon this was a team win. We played very well offensively and defensively."
Covilha, who was Mario Palma's assistant coach when Primeiro de Agosto claimed the competition title in Cairo in 2004, added: "We started the game with a tremendous determination to win. We assumed always the leading position.
"I acknowledge that Petro wanted to win this game, but we wanted it much more. Our team was very well prepared to realise this win. It was not an easy win, though."
Primeiro de Agosto's board invested heavily after losing both the African and Angolan titles to rivals Petro Atletico last year.
Portugal international Francisco Jordao signed from Petro, while Cape Verde internationals Marques Houtman and Rodrigo Mascarenhas, who made an impact in the recent AfroBasket 2007, signed from Portugal outfit FC Porto.
Covilha said: "Yes, we have new good players with great quality. What we need was to create conditions for them to make winning even easier. They are still adapting, which is understandable."
This is the third African title for Primeiro de Agosto after consecutive victories in 2002 and 2004, before the event became annual.
In the bronze-medal game, Abidjan Basketball Club (ABC) beat Angolan outfit InterClube de Luanda 60-53.
The Ivory Coast team, who beat the Angolans in the final of the competition two years ago, were behind 26-24 at the break.
InterClube coach, Manuel de Sousa "Necas" admitted mistakes had been costly, but congratulated the Abidjan side.
"We didn't remain calm and stumbled towards the end of the game", he said.
"They took advantage of our lack of composure at an important moment of the game. If there were a draw in Basketball, I think that it would have been the fair result.
"They were not superior to us but I have to congratulate them for the victory"
The final rankings of the 22nd FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Men were:
1st. Primeiro de Agosto
2nd. Petro Atletico de Luanda
3rd. Abidjan Basketball Club (ABC)
4th. InterClube de Luanda
5th. Niger Potters
6th. APR
7th. BC Onatra
8th. ASB Kauka
9th. MBC
10th. Aspac
11th. Stade Malien
12th. Ferroviario da Beira
MVP: Olímpio Cipriano, Primeiro de Agosto
Best scorer: Abubakar Usman, Niger Potters
Best rebounder: Eduardo Mingas, Petro de Luanda
Best 3-point shooter: Euclides Camacho, Interclube
Best free throw shooter: Romaric Quenum, ASPAC
Best 2-point shooter: Romaric Quenum, ASPAC
Best stealer: Stéphane Konaté, ABC
Ideal 5: Shannon Croocks, Olímpio Cipriano, Kikas Gomes, Stéphane Konaté and Eduardo Mingas.
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