FIBA Africa Champions Cup

The FIBA Africa Champions Cup is the premier men’s club competition on the African continent and proudly boasts more than four decades in existence.
 
Throughout its rich history, it has been clubs from Angola who have dominated and this golden thread shows no sign of unraveling after Petro Atletico de Luanda were crowned the 2015 champions.

Ending a nine year wait since their first success in the flagship tournament, the moment was made extra special for the winners as they lifted the precious silverware aloft in their home city.

They also enjoyed beating their rivals and defending champions Recreativo do Libolo 89-75, behind an MVP performance from Dominican Republic’s Emmanuel Quezada.
 
It sealed a ninth win for clubs based in Angola in ten editions – although there was disappointment for Primeiro de Agosto, who missed the podium altogether.
 
They have been very much the story of the FIBA Africa Champions Cup since 2002  - a standout dominant force. Primeiro de Agosto have lifted an unprecedented eight titles and delivered four on the bounce between 2007 and 2010 – inspired by Angola national team star Joaquim Gomes, who took the MVP accolade twice during that sparkling run.
 
The only team from outside of Angola to have gleefully stepped up to receive the adulation as winners since 2006 were Etoile Sportive du Sahel of Tunisia, who made it third time lucky after previously losing both Finals.
 
Flip the pages back to before 2002 and the very first of those will take you to the inaugural competition in 1972, when Red Star of the Central African Republic wrote themselves into history with an opening title.
 
After compatriots Hit Tresor won the next edition in what would be the first of two Championships, AS Forces Armees of Senegal won three of the next four competitions and to this day – only they and Primeiro de Agosto have won the tournament more than twice.
 
AS Police made it four in five for Senegal when they reigned in 1983, a year before Clube de Desportos do Maxaquene flew the flag for Mozambique. They were followed by more first time winners in El Ittihad Alexandria of Egypt and Asec Mimosas of Cote d’Ivoire.
 
North Africa was actually the base for five successive titles between 1992 and 1999 – four of which went to Egyptian clubs in Zamalek, Al Ahly and Gezira who defended their crown. The other winner was Maghreb Association Sportive de Fez, who are still Morocco’s only winner, having enjoyed a memorable high note on their own court in 1998.
 
Meanwhile Cote d’Ivoire duo Asec Mimosas and Abidjan Basket interspersed the start of Angolan superiority with titles during 2000 and 2005 - meaning all eyes are now transfixed in anticipation as to who might step up in the future and challenge the ongoing supremacy of Angola’s fabulously successful participants.