NEWCASTLE (Paul Nilsen's Women's Basketball Worldwide) - As far as the various continental championships have been concerned, there have been some real highlights in 2015 and it would be terrific if AfroBasket Women 2015 can bring the baton home in style.

EuroBasket Women had some sensational games earlier in the year and a historic first-time winner in Serbia, Canada underlined their status  as arguably the rising team within the women's game globally with their success at the FIBA Americas Women's Championship and Japan's destruction of China in the Final of the FIBA Asia Women's Championship was nothing short of breathtaking.

As the women's basketball fraternity in Africa descends on Cameroon and the city of Yaounde, I am committing myself to knuckle down and catch most of the action - unlike previous years when I have caught only fleeting glimpses.

Part of that has been down to knowing that my esteemed fellow columnist Julio Chitunda has it all boxed off, but also because regrettably for AfroBasket Women, eyes have started to turn to club competitions and the timing of the tournament remains its Achilles heel.

Still, with four different nations winning the event at the last five editions, their air and indeed recent track record of unpredictability adds to the excitement for a neutral like myself.

Much has been made of one of the stars of the African game in Leia Dongue not participating and it has really been blown up to epic proportions in Mozambique and beyond.

While disappointing because of the fine play she posted at the FIBA Women's World Championship in Turkey last year which I enjoyed immensely, I look forward to seeing others emerge.

I am also pumped to see what kind of splash teenager Djeneba N'Diaye can make at senior level for Mali, having been the pivotal figure for her country at global youth level - starring at the FIBA U17 Women's World Championship and the FIBA U19 Women's World Championship.

The same can also be said of Egypt who have attended the last two of those same youth competitions and they will be hoping some of their rising stars can help elevate their country back to being podium challengers at the senior level. I can't wait to see Raneem Elgedawy trying to make an impression.

I will also be scouring other games and rosters to see if I can find a real diamond in the rough.

With the additional lure of Rio, it will be intense. The familiar powerhouses of Senegal, Nigeria, Angola and Mali should be the front-runners, but there are so many teams who could - like Serbia did in Europe - find their rhythm and rise to the fore.

It looks deliciously hard to call in these last days leading up to the event.

However, this year's edition also sees some fascinating sub-plots. For example, there is a lot of developmental work having been undertaken in South Africa during the last couple of years (in the men's game too).

And, with more work planned, perhaps this could be something of a launch-pad for what is surely an untapped talent pool and one that could have unlimited potential on the international scene in years to come.

In addition, can a North African team seriously challenge again and end a near-50 year hiatus from the top of the podium?

The smart choice is of course that Mali, Angola, Senegal and Nigeria will repeat their respective top four finishes at the recent All-Africa Games. Certainly trying to pick a winner from this quartet is challenging and intriguing enough as the curtain prepares to be raised.

But maybe, just maybe, someone else can come out of leftfield and upset the status-quo.

Regardless, it should be highly entertaining and good luck to all involved - let's make it a great last Continental Cup competition of 2015!