Soraia Deghady (EGY) - Nigeria v Egypt, 2015 Afrobasket Women, Yaoundé (Cameroon), Group Phase, 26 September 2015
YAOUNDE (AfroBasket Women 2015) - A number of players had such big impacts during the Group Phase of AfroBasket Women 2015 that as the tournament enters the Quarter-Finals on Thursday, it is worth looking back on their performances, recalling how they run the show in the Cameroon capital city of Yaounde.
YAOUNDE (AfroBasket Women 2015) - A number of players had such big impacts during the Group Phase of AfroBasket Women 2015 that as the tournament enters the Quarter-Finals on Thursday, it is worth looking back on their performances, recalling how they run the show in the Cameroon capital city of Yaounde.
In fairness there is still some work to be done in qualitative terms of the game on the African continent, especially on the tactical side of things
But it can't be denied that the quality of players taking to the court in Yaounde has risen.
It's Africa celebrating women's basketball.
Egypt's Soraia Deghady has become one of the most exciting player to watch in the competition.
The 20-year-old point guard, who built her name at FIBA Africa youth tournaments, has proven her talent in Yaounde with incredible shooting, drives to the basket as well as her trademark no-look passes.
While Egypt - who received a wild card invitation to participate at AfroBasket Women 2015 - have become the tournament's Cinderella team, the 1.75m guard has turned into the team’s secret weapon.
She has not started any of Egypt's five games so far, but when head coach Tark Elkattan calls her up off the bench, she reenergises the team's offense.
Deghady averaged 12.4 points and 2.0 assists per game in the Group Phase.
She teams up with 24-year-old forward Menatalla Awad and the duo plays a significant role for the youngest team - averaging 20 years of age - in the tournament.
Unlike Deghady, Mozambique's Deolinda Ngulela is an AfroBasket Women veteran.
The 34-year-old point guard is making her fourth appearance in the tournament.
Mozambique are competing without some key players such as Leia Dongue and Rute Muianga, but Ngulela has taken care of the team.
Seeing her running up and down the court suggests that age is just a number for the 1.68m playmaker who averages team-highs of 12.6 points and 2.8 assists per contest.
For most of the Group Phase, Ngulela - who serves as a player-coach at local club Costa do Sol - has done a bit of everything for Mozambique. From driving to the basket, shooting from long range, Ngulela was there, but it is at playmaking that she has made the biggest impact in the tournament so far.
It remains to be seen how she plays against Nigeria in Thursday's Quarter-Final. After all Mozambique are aiming at reaching the Semi-Finals for the second time in a row.
Anyone watching this edition of AfroBasket Women does not necessarily needs to be a basketball expert to realise how much of an impact Geraldine Robert has made in the competition.
The 34-year-old, along with Tania Angue, has put Gabon back in the African basketball map.
Robert, who was named the Most Valuable Player in the French League a couple of years ago, is on a mission with her country.
She not only leads the tournament in points and rebounding, but she also propels her her team when they need her most.
As the Gabonese battle it out in the Last Eight against the reigning champions Angola, Robert is likely to cause the Angolans a bit of a headache.
Although Gabon finished fourth in Group A, advancing to the Last Eight has proven a major success for a team which is making its return to the competition after a decade-long absence.
Talking about Nigeria's campaign at AfroBasket Women 2015 requires inevitably detailing Adaora Elonu's performances.
The team leading scorer is making such a big impact that when she unperformed, Nigeria lost.
As Nigeria fell to Angola in their first game in the tournament, Elonu finished with a single point.
However, Elonu's talent should not be judged by a single game as she has proven along the remaining four games ahead of the Quarter-Finals.
The 25-year-old has such a finesse attacking the rim, that it is unsurprising that she leads Nigeria in scoring with 14 points.
While the 1.85m forward takes care of the scoring for Scott Nnaji's side, Ndidi Madu looks after its rebounding with a team-high 9.2 boards per contest.
If hosts Cameroon have remained the only undefeated team in the competition with five consecutive victories, Ramses Lonlack has surely be partly responsible for such an impressive Group Phase campaign.
The former Memphis University standout is not just leaving a dream of playing in front of home fans and relatives.
The 1.75m forward is carrying a nation leading Cameroon with 14 points per game.
And, of course, the 26-year-old has now won the hearts of local fans..
We could go on and on, but the list of top performers in tournament could not be complete with the likes of Nadir Manuel (Angola), Mame Sy (Senegal), Nadia Peruch-Niang (Guinea) and Lina Mahsas of Algeria.
But it can't be denied that the quality of players taking to the court in Yaounde has risen.
It's Africa celebrating women's basketball.
Egypt's Soraia Deghady has become one of the most exciting player to watch in the competition.
The 20-year-old point guard, who built her name at FIBA Africa youth tournaments, has proven her talent in Yaounde with incredible shooting, drives to the basket as well as her trademark no-look passes.
While Egypt - who received a wild card invitation to participate at AfroBasket Women 2015 - have become the tournament's Cinderella team, the 1.75m guard has turned into the team’s secret weapon.
She has not started any of Egypt's five games so far, but when head coach Tark Elkattan calls her up off the bench, she reenergises the team's offense.
Deghady averaged 12.4 points and 2.0 assists per game in the Group Phase.
She teams up with 24-year-old forward Menatalla Awad and the duo plays a significant role for the youngest team - averaging 20 years of age - in the tournament.
Unlike Deghady, Mozambique's Deolinda Ngulela is an AfroBasket Women veteran.
The 34-year-old point guard is making her fourth appearance in the tournament.
Mozambique are competing without some key players such as Leia Dongue and Rute Muianga, but Ngulela has taken care of the team.
Seeing her running up and down the court suggests that age is just a number for the 1.68m playmaker who averages team-highs of 12.6 points and 2.8 assists per contest.
For most of the Group Phase, Ngulela - who serves as a player-coach at local club Costa do Sol - has done a bit of everything for Mozambique. From driving to the basket, shooting from long range, Ngulela was there, but it is at playmaking that she has made the biggest impact in the tournament so far.
It remains to be seen how she plays against Nigeria in Thursday's Quarter-Final. After all Mozambique are aiming at reaching the Semi-Finals for the second time in a row.
Anyone watching this edition of AfroBasket Women does not necessarily needs to be a basketball expert to realise how much of an impact Geraldine Robert has made in the competition.
The 34-year-old, along with Tania Angue, has put Gabon back in the African basketball map.
Robert, who was named the Most Valuable Player in the French League a couple of years ago, is on a mission with her country.
She not only leads the tournament in points and rebounding, but she also propels her her team when they need her most.
As the Gabonese battle it out in the Last Eight against the reigning champions Angola, Robert is likely to cause the Angolans a bit of a headache.
Although Gabon finished fourth in Group A, advancing to the Last Eight has proven a major success for a team which is making its return to the competition after a decade-long absence.
Talking about Nigeria's campaign at AfroBasket Women 2015 requires inevitably detailing Adaora Elonu's performances.
The team leading scorer is making such a big impact that when she unperformed, Nigeria lost.
As Nigeria fell to Angola in their first game in the tournament, Elonu finished with a single point.
However, Elonu's talent should not be judged by a single game as she has proven along the remaining four games ahead of the Quarter-Finals.
The 25-year-old has such a finesse attacking the rim, that it is unsurprising that she leads Nigeria in scoring with 14 points.
While the 1.85m forward takes care of the scoring for Scott Nnaji's side, Ndidi Madu looks after its rebounding with a team-high 9.2 boards per contest.
If hosts Cameroon have remained the only undefeated team in the competition with five consecutive victories, Ramses Lonlack has surely be partly responsible for such an impressive Group Phase campaign.
The former Memphis University standout is not just leaving a dream of playing in front of home fans and relatives.
The 1.75m forward is carrying a nation leading Cameroon with 14 points per game.
And, of course, the 26-year-old has now won the hearts of local fans..
We could go on and on, but the list of top performers in tournament could not be complete with the likes of Nadir Manuel (Angola), Mame Sy (Senegal), Nadia Peruch-Niang (Guinea) and Lina Mahsas of Algeria.
By: Editor
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