Mbah A Moute and Cameroon settle for silver

Defending champion Angola blew open a close game with Cameroon in the third quarter to win the 24th African Nations Basketball Championship, 86-72, in the championship final held before a home crowd at the Cidadela in Luanda, Angola.

UCLA forward Luc Richard Mbah A Moute started for Cameroon and played 30 of 40 minutes, but made only two of seven shots from the field. He also made 3-5 free throws for a total of seven points and added five rebounds and three assists.

Brice Vounang led Cameroon with 18 points and reserves Patrick Bouli had 16 and Gaston Essengue had 14. The silver medal was the best finish in Cameroon history in only the fourth time they had qualified for the tournament in its 45-year history.

Angola led at halftime 33-31 in a tense game, but scored 34 points in the third quarter alone against 20 for Cameroon to take a 67-51 lead into the fourth quarter. Cameroon won the final stanza, 23-21, leaving the final at 86-72 for the hosts, playing in the presence of Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. Eduardo Mingas led Angola with 18 points with four other teammates in double figures.

For the tournament, Mbah A Moute – known in Afrobasket fans as "Luc Mbah" in the box scores – averaged 13.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 3.0 steals and 0.8 blocks per game. He shot 48.6 percent (18-of-37) from the field and 63.6 percent (21-of-33) from the free-throw line.

By winning the tournament, Angola qualifies for the basketball competition at the 2008 Olympic Games to be held in Beijing, China.