Africa-Press – Angola. Former basketball player, Jean Jacques da Conceição, defended a mixture of youth and veteran in the National Team for the World Cup, to be disputed from August 28th to September 10th in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.
The only Angolan selected for the “FIBA Hall of Fame” since 2013, suggests such balance in the choice of national representatives to the event so that Angola has the capacity for a worthy representation.
“The most important thing is to have a quality team that can represent Angola with dignity”, reiterated the former captain of the National Team who played for 1.o de Agosto (1982-88) and Benfica de Lisboa (1988-96).
Speaking to press with a view to participating in the Asian World Cup, the former pole added that the goal should be to surpass the 27th position obtained in 2019 in China and to carry out good performances to raise the national colors very high.
The former vice-president of the federation referred that Angola would be in better conditions of a dignified representation bringing together young athletes and experienced ones to avoid errors seen in the last qualifying window, played in February, at the Kilamba pavilion, in Luanda.
He said that, despite qualifying with victories over Uganda (82-49), Cape Vende (80-67) and Nigeria (65-59), the absence of more qualified players was notorious and that the national technical team, led by the Spaniard Josep Clarós will have to work on defensive and offensive mistakes.
Jean Jacques refused to detail the main difficulties encountered, what measures to reverse the situation and not even which assets should join the youth group, referring such responsibility to the members of the governing body of the sport in the country.
Clarós justifies absences and opens doors for new integrations
In a press conference, after the last call, the Spaniard reacted to the questions regarding the absence of renowned players and assumed responsibility for the renewal, as it was a natural process.
With players aged 24 as an average age and 1.93 meters tall, the coach said that the moment has arrived for Angola to avoid being the oldest team in the world cup, as happened in the last edition.
As for the absences of winger Carlos Morais and posts Yanick Moreira, Bruno Fernando and Sílvio de Sousa, the coach tried to clarify individually.
He referred that in the first call-up Morais was called, but he did not appear and the allegation was that he was injured.
In the second window, he justified that he had to go to Navarra for treatment, having recognized that he was a high-level player, as was Mingas, Cipriano and many others.
About the pole Yanick Moreira, clarified that he was passed over for behavior contrary to the regulations of the national combined, where no one can claim different treatment.
“I want committed people, who don’t drink, don’t smoke and don’t go to parties. It’s simple and that happens in every team in the world, but Yanick’s case was due to other situations”, he said at the time.
Bruno Fernando, a player who represented the Houston Rockets, now transferred to the Atlanta Hawks, both teams in the North American Professional Basketball League, NBA, did not respond to the call for commitment at the club.
However, the 2.06 meter pole was present in the fourth window, disputed in the city of Abidjan, Côte d ́Ivoire.
The other athlete considered preponderant in the national five, Sílvio de Sousa, who represents the Chorale Roanne Basket, of the first division of the French championship, declined the call-up alleging injury.
It is said that, in the same period, he evolved through his training, leaving the suspension that the alleged injury could not be an excuse for not representing the national team.
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