NAIROBI, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- President of FIBA Africa Hamane Niang said Monday that the world should be ready for Africa to stake its claim to this year's basketball World Cup scheduled from August 31-September 15 in China.
On Sunday, Cote d'Ivoire became the last qualifier from Africa to the FIBA World Cup, following Angola, Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia.
Niang, who is also the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) vice president, said, "For a very long time, African teams came to the World Cup to limit the damage as used to be said. What has been positive is that the African teams have played without any anxiety and on an equal footing with their opponents."
The five African teams joined Russia, Japan, Iran, Jordan, the Philippines, Serbia as the latest to make the cut to the World Cup.
