Ngueko, Cameroon eager to avenge AfroBasket 2013 defeat

Winning AfroBasket Women 2015 on home soil is the target for a majority of Cameroon's national team players, including Hermine Ngueko.

That was the message from the 1.93m center - who this season is playing with Senegal side Jaraaf Basketball Club of Dakar - following last Saturday's draw for the tournament taking place in Cameroon's capital of Yaounde from September 24-October 3.

Cameroon were drawn in Group A alongside Mozambique, South Africa, Gabon, Uganda and Mali.

Group B so far consists of Angola, Senegal and Algeria, with three more to come in the shape of the Zone II qualified team, the Zone III qualified team and a wild card to be determined.

"Both groups are balanced because all the teams which compose them have a good level," Ngueko said to FIBA.com. "But with a better preparation programme, Cameroon can make a great impact."

Two years ago, in Maputo, Cameroon finished fourth after a losing 56-53 to Senegal in the Third-Place Game in heartbreaking fashion, as Mame Marie Sy hit a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer.

With Cameroon playing at home this year, she is well aware of what it means. "2015 is the best opportunity for Cameroon to take revenge on opponents such Mozambique. But the most important thing is to win the first title in our history in this competition," she said.

If Cameroon can claim the continental crown, it would be a dream come true for an entire country which hasn't seen its women's teams feature on the podium since finishing third in its first two appearances at AfroBasket Women - in 1983 in Angola and in 1984 in Senegal.

The 23-year-old Ngueko wasn't even born when Cameroon achieved those great results occurred. But she has only one goal in mind. "[I want] to reach the Final and win AfroBasket Women 2015".

In order to do so, in addition to Ngueko, Cameroon must be able to call on players such as Ramses Lonlack, Amina Ndjounkou or Priscilla Laure Mbiandja. These experienced veterans fell short of reaching the Final in 2013 after a 61-57 loss against Mozambique in the Semi-Finals.

Ngueko says it left a bad taste in the players' mouths and this "will only go away if Cameroon finishes on the top step of the podium or takes second place at Afrobasket Women 2015."