Brazil and Angola women’s

Brazil trounced Argentina in Saturday's FIBA Americas Championship for Women gold-medal
game in Colombia, 74-33, with big center Erika de Souza Machado named the tournament's
MVP.
Twenty-four hours later and Angola, who had surprised Afrobasket Women hosts Mali in the
Semi-Finals in Bamako, stunned defending champions Senegal, 62-54, to reach the top of the
podium.
The Brazilians and Angolans are in the London Games with the United States, who qualified
as world champions, hosts Great Britain, EuroBasket Women gold medalists Russia, Asian
champions China and Oceania winners Australia.
Brazil's basketball great Hortencia Marcari, now her confederation's director of women's
teams, said: "I am quite happy because now, we can make a better plan for the Olympics.
“All the effort and unity of the players was worth it. The team was ready to be
champions."
As for Angola, coach Anibal Moreira was not surprised by his team’s great summer.
“For us, the reference year was (Afrobasket) 2007 when we finished third in Dakar,” he
said.
“In 2009, we were also third.
"The victory in 2011 was logical because we were on our line.
“We have collected the fruits of a lot of work."
There are five spots still available for London, however, and they will be determined at
the 12-team FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women that will be staged from June 25
until July 1.
Argentina and Canada, who won silver and bronze in the Americas, along with Cuba, will be
in that event.
So will Senegal and Mali, the silver- and bronze-medal winners in Africa.
Korea and Japan, who finished second and third, respectively, behind China, Oceania
runners-up New Zealand, and the sides that came in second through fifth at the EuroBasket
Women - Turkey, France, the Czech Republic and Croatia – are in the field in the
additional qualifiers.