The twelve countries vying for honours in the 2009 edition of the FIBA Africa Championship for Women holding in Antananarivo, Madagascar are in last minute shape-up ahead the first jump-ball on Friday.
The teams take time to have a feel of the Palais Des Sports gymnasium that has been designated to host most games of the championship which is to produce the two countries that will fly Africa flag at the 2010 FIBA World Championship slated for the Czech Republic.
Four games are slated for the Palais Des Sports while the Couvert Gymnasium will host two games all through the preliminaries.
On Friday at the Palais Des Sports 2007 second runner-up, Angola will battle Rwanda in Group-B opening game at 12.30 hour local time while 2007 fourth placed team and FIBA Africa Zone-IV representative, Mozambique will square up against Cameroon in Group-A opening game at the Couvert Gymnasium also at 12.30 hours.
And at 14.30 hour 2007 host and first runner-up Senegal will take to the floor against South Africa at the Palais Des Sports just as the last game at the Couvert Gymnasium will see Tunisia and Cote d’Ivoire engaging each other in a Group-B game.
The opening ceremony which is billed for 16.30 hour will attract top Madagascar government officials while all the twelve countries are expected to be part of the ceremony to formally declare the championship open.
The last two game of the opening day of the 21st FIBA Africa Championship for Women will be between Mauritius and host Madagascar at 18.00 hour while two time champion, Nigeria battle defending champion at 20.00 hour.