He may already be 22, but Felizardo Ambrosio represents a new generation of Angolan basketball players gradually replacing an old guard, which have been so dominant in African basketball over the past decade.
Playing his basketball in Angola for Luanda’s Clube Desportivo Primeiro de Agosto, Ambrosio will be representing his country for the fourth time in major competition this summer, having played at the 2007 and 2009 FIBA Africa Championships, and the 2008 Olympic Games.
As the youngest player for Angola at all three tournaments, there has rarely been any doubt over his ability, but breaking into a team of successful and experienced players has been the main challenge for Ambrosio.
During the 2007 FIBA Africa Championship he was impressive in spite of limited playing time, clocking up 5.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game in an average playing time of less than 15 minutes.
Although Angola struggled at the 2008 Olympics, failing to win a single game, Ambrosio will have gained invaluable playing experience by playing against some of the world’s top players.
The 2009 FIBA Africa Championship saw him improve his stats if not his playing time, putting in a couple of impressive performances from the bench, which suggests that he may quickly become one of Angola’s key players.
Standing at 202cm, Ambrosia’s 104kg frame results in a very athletic and powerful build, while his great rebounding ability is better than many forwards of his size.
