After a successful group stage, the Cape Verde national team faced a challenging journey to the knockout round of AfroBasket 2025. Key players, including star center Edy Tavares, took to social media to share their frustrations with travel arrangements, highlighting long delays and logistical issues that disrupted their preparations for a crucial upcoming match.
✈️ A Difficult Journey to the Knockout Stage
The team’s travel from Mocamedes to Luanda, the capital of Angola, was far from smooth. Edy Tavares explained that the team experienced a flight delay of three to four hours. Upon arrival, they had to wait another two hours for their bags, and even then, Tavares discovered his suitcase had been left behind. His teammate, Ivan Almeida, added that by 5 PM, they still hadn’t reached their hotel and had only eaten breakfast at 7 AM that morning, describing a long and tiring day.
🏀 Focusing on the Next Big Game
These travel difficulties came at a critical time for Cape Verde. The team had just secured a solid 75–62 victory over Rwanda to conclude their group stage matches. They are now scheduled to face Tunisia on Tuesday in a high-stakes knockout game. The winner of this match will advance to the quarterfinals to play against the host nation, Angola, making proper rest and preparation extremely important.
⭐ Star Player’s Impressive Performance
Despite the off-court challenges, Edy Tavares has been a dominant force for Cape Verde in the tournament. The former Real Madrid player, known for his three EuroLeague Best Defender awards, has been delivering strong performances. So far in the AfroBasket, he is averaging 10.7 points, 12.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game, proving to be a vital leader for his team on their quest for the title.
