Aicha Benaouda (ALG) - 2014 FIBA Africa U18 Women's Championship
BRAZZAVILLE (AfroBasket Women 2015) - The moment of truth has come for both Lylia Tlemsani and Aicha Benaouda, two promising stars who are set to make their debuts with Algeria's senior team at AfroBasket Women 2015.
Algeria head coach Azzedine Labouize has announced his final roster for the upcoming African Championship with the pair of Tlemsani and Benaouda - who stood out at 2014 U18 AfroBasket Women - joining a team trying to achieve their best result ever in the tournament.
BRAZZAVILLE (AfroBasket Women 2015) - The moment of truth has come for both Lylia Tlemsani and Aicha Benaouda, two promising stars who are set to make their debuts with Algeria's senior team at AfroBasket Women 2015.
Algeria head coach Azzedine Labouize has announced his final roster for the upcoming African Championship with the pair of Tlemsani and Benaouda - who stood out at 2014 U18 AfroBasket Women - joining a team trying to achieve their best result ever in the tournament.
In last year's tournament in Cairo, Egypt, Tlemsani collected a team-high 10.7 points per game, while point guard Benaouda dished out a team-best 4.9 assists per contest.
Tlemsani got a glimpse of what to expect at AfroBasket Women 2015 having featured for Algeria at the 2015 All-African Games in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, where the North Africans finished ninth in the 10-team event with one win and four losses.
Although Benaouda didn't play in Brazzaville, coach Labouize feels the 19-year-old should play a role at Africa's biggest women's competition taking place in Yaounde, Cameroon, from 24 September-3 October.
"These are young and talented players that need international competition exposure," Labouize told FIBA.com.
"They are the future of Algerian women's basketball.
"Tlemsani has big chances of becoming the future leader of the Algerian national team."
Looking back on the team's performances at the All-African Games, Labouize said: "We played really well against Angola, but against Senegal we weren't as good.
"Right now, we are still here in Brazzaville and we have a few days days to improve some aspects of our game and get ready for AfroBasket [Women]."
We will be ready to compete in Cameroon. - Labouize
The Algerians, who are taking aim at reaching the Quarter-Finals, have been drawn in Group B along reigning champions Angola, Senegal, Nigeria, Guinea and Egypt.
"We are going to need to beat Egypt and Guinea to dream big," Labouize said.
"If we don't beat Egypt, we will need to win against Angola, Nigeria or Senegal, which I think is very, very difficult for us because they belong in another level.
Five players including Nesrine Taibi, Ikbal Chenaf, Nadia Isli, Lilia Refes and Shahnez Boushaki represented Algeria at AfroBasket Women 2013 where they finished 11th.
Algeria final roster for AfroBasket Women 2015: Aicha Benaouda, Shahnez Boushaki, Nesrine Boussaid, Ikbal Chenaf, Nadia Isli, Lina Mahsas, Sarah Nemmouchi, Soulef Necib, Lilia Refes, Soumeya Regani, Nesrine Taibi and Lylia Tlemsani.
Tlemsani got a glimpse of what to expect at AfroBasket Women 2015 having featured for Algeria at the 2015 All-African Games in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, where the North Africans finished ninth in the 10-team event with one win and four losses.
Although Benaouda didn't play in Brazzaville, coach Labouize feels the 19-year-old should play a role at Africa's biggest women's competition taking place in Yaounde, Cameroon, from 24 September-3 October.
"These are young and talented players that need international competition exposure," Labouize told FIBA.com.
"They are the future of Algerian women's basketball.
"Tlemsani has big chances of becoming the future leader of the Algerian national team."
Looking back on the team's performances at the All-African Games, Labouize said: "We played really well against Angola, but against Senegal we weren't as good.
"Right now, we are still here in Brazzaville and we have a few days days to improve some aspects of our game and get ready for AfroBasket [Women]."
We will be ready to compete in Cameroon. - Labouize
The Algerians, who are taking aim at reaching the Quarter-Finals, have been drawn in Group B along reigning champions Angola, Senegal, Nigeria, Guinea and Egypt.
"We are going to need to beat Egypt and Guinea to dream big," Labouize said.
"If we don't beat Egypt, we will need to win against Angola, Nigeria or Senegal, which I think is very, very difficult for us because they belong in another level.
Five players including Nesrine Taibi, Ikbal Chenaf, Nadia Isli, Lilia Refes and Shahnez Boushaki represented Algeria at AfroBasket Women 2013 where they finished 11th.
Algeria final roster for AfroBasket Women 2015: Aicha Benaouda, Shahnez Boushaki, Nesrine Boussaid, Ikbal Chenaf, Nadia Isli, Lina Mahsas, Sarah Nemmouchi, Soulef Necib, Lilia Refes, Soumeya Regani, Nesrine Taibi and Lylia Tlemsani.
By: FIBA.com
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