YAOUNDE (AfroBasket Women 2015) - Almost two years on, and the AfroBasket Women 2013 experience remains alive in the mind of Cameroon forward Nicole Jamen.

Now that Cameroon are hosting AfroBasket Women 2015 in Yaounde (24 September to 4 October) - a qualifier tournament for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics - Jamen looks back to the tournament in Maputo, Mozambique and feels there is no more room for error.

Back in 2013, Cameroon's 67-64 win over the Djene Diawara-led Mali on Day 2 suggested how determined coach Alain Zedong was to make history in the tournament.

When they had reigning champions Angola with their backs against the wall for most of their Group B meeting, before falling 48-44 in the final seconds, Cameroon were officially deemed as title contenders.

However, a lot of pain was still to come.

In the Semi-Final against Mozambique, Cameroon led for more than 35 minutes and put themselves in a privileged position to qualify for the 2014 FIBA Women's World Championship.

But then Leia Dongue emerged from out of nowhere with 2.30 minutes remaining, hitting a lay-up that changed the course of the game and spoiled the dream of Cameroon qualifying for a major world competition for the first time.

"That game could have been handled differently on so many levels," Jamen recalled in a interview with FIBA.com.

"We let go of a lead and I think that is something all of us don't want to live again."

There was still the Third-Place Game for Cameroon to end on a positive note, but that too was not meant to be as Mame Marie Sy hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to seal a 56-53 victory, giving Senegal their third AfroBasket bronze medal.

Jamen, along with team captain Amina Njonkou, Astride Gano, Marie Tsoungui, Hermine Ngueko and Edith Kameni regrouped last month, and left good impressions for the upcoming African championship.

During their FIBA Africa Zone 4 qualifier, Cameroon finished tied with Gabon (3-1), but fell short of qualifying for the All-African Games as a result of their defeat at the hands of the Gabonese in the first round.

Jamen was named to the All-Tournament Team along with teammate Njonkou, the Gabon duo of Geraldine Robert and Tania Angue Ngoua and Congolese Cecile Mukoso.

There is still a long to way to go for Cameroon to reach the 2016 Rio Olympics.

"The thought of playing in a tournament like the one that will be held in Rio in 2016 brings excitement and focus," Jamen said.

There won't be a Rio tournament without victory in Yaounde. So my focus is to first take care of business at AfroBasket - Jamen

"With God's will, I will be at AfroBasket Women 2015."

What does the future hold for women's basketball in Cameroon?

"I never had the chance to play basketball while growing up at home but my older sister did," Jamen recalled.

"What I can say is the game has changed a lot. There are more camps being created to sharpen the skills of the young athletes.

"Many of the Cameroonian abroad have created clinics to help the youth and I am also putting together a basketball team, "Lions Athletics", in Yaounde to help my peers.

"The country has also been participating more and more in international competitions which has enabled the players to get exposure and experience.

"With time, that has helped the national team improve our results and put ourselves on the map."

FIBA