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Aboubakar Gakou Of Angola Supplied/FIBA Africa The arenas in Namibe and Luanda have been electric every time Angola, hosts and now title favourites, took to the court in pursuit of their 12th FIBA AfroBasket Championship. Every rebound, every defensive stop, every shot is magnified, while any touch from their opponents is met with a chorus of boos from the crowd. The semifinal against Cameroon was no different. The game swung back and forth, with nine lead changes and 11 tied scores, each possession ratcheting up the tension. In the final seconds of the game, Angola’s place in the final came down to three free throws, taken by none other than Aboubaker Gakou. “In my mind, I was like, I just need to make one,” he shared with Forbes.com, recalling the tense moment. “I missed the first, made the second, and the coach told me to miss the third. That’s what happened.” The calm in his words belied the intensity of the situation and the journey it represented. From Late Starter to National Star KIGALI, RWANDA – MAY 29: Aboubakar Pedro Gakou #15 of Petroleos De Luanda drives to the basket during the game against the Cape Town Tigers during the 2024 Basketball Africa League Playoffs on May 29, 2024 at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Nacer Talel/NBAE via Getty Images) NBAE via Getty Images For a player who only picked up basketball at 17, Gakou’s ascent has been remarkable. Within a year, he earned a spot with Atlético Petróleos de Luanda, one of Angola’s most storied clubs. Since joining in 2015, he has…

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Filed under: News - @ August 24, 2025 6:25 am