LUANDA (AfroBasket Women/FIBA World Championship for Women) - Nacissela Mauricio has been playing international basketball of late as if she were making up for lost time.
The versatile Angola forward didn't hit the heights at the start of her national team career but since AfroBasket Women 2011 in Mali, no player on the continent has been better.
Mauricio was named MVP of the 2011 tournament, when Angola overcame hosts Mali in the Semi-Finals before defeating heavyweights Senegal in the Final.
That triumph allowed Angola's women to play at the Olympics for the first time.
Last month, the 33-year-old was again the MVP of the African Championship after firing Angola to victory against the Senegalese in the Semi-Finals and hosts Mozambique in the title game.
"We are going to keep enjoying our achievement (of back-to-back African titles)," Mauricio said, "but we should not rest on our laurels."
What is important for Mauricio is that Angola build on the success and leave a lasting impression on next year's FIBA World Championship in Turkey.
While they made it to the London Games in 2012, Angola didn't mount a serious challenge to teams from other continents.
They went down in heavy defeats to all of their opponents.
"It is important to dignify the name of Africa in the World Championship and to do this, we have to work in advance," Mauricio said.
"That (Turkey 2014) is another level and the opponents are talented."
Mauricio is a player who understands the importance of not only team success, but her individual honors.
"My individual honors encourage youngsters to feel proud to be a woman and to care more," she said.
