LAGOS (FIBA Africa Championship) - Nigeria forward, Olumide Oyedeji has predicted that reigning Africa champion, Angola currently ranked 14 in the world can be beaten by any other team in the continent but what these other countries lacked in organisation is the Africa number-one ranked team.

Speaking in Lagos last week during the media briefing to announce the 8th edition of his annual camp billed for the Sports Hall of the Lagos National Stadium from September 3 through 8, the former Seattle Supersonics centre told journalists that other Africa Basketball Federation puts in half the effort of the Angolan Basketball Federation into preparing its national teams for continental and global assignment they could surpase the feat recorded so far by the South Africa country.

Oyedeji who is at a lost as to when other Africa countries especially Nigeria will put its act together and emulate the good work that the Angolan federation is doing to its basketball which has made them to be a force to reckon with in world basketball, says there is no way other African countries will topple them in the order of ranking in Africa.

He disclosed that about 700 kids will grace his camp this year with about 30 coaches from the local scene helping the legion of foreign coaches that are expected at the camp.

The former Ebun Comets basketball club player praised the efforts of his colleagues who feature for the country during the just concluded 9th All Africa Games in Algiers, Algeria for winning the bronze medal even as the team had its first game together in their group-B opening game against Mali which accroding to him is bound to repeat itself in Angola when the team file out against Liberia on August 17.

By Olusegun Ikuesan
FIBA Official Correspondent in Nigeria