Boost as foreign-based players join Morans camp in Cameroon

Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) secretary general Ambrose Kisoi says the arrival of four foreign-based national men’s basketball team players is a massive boost ahead of Friday’s tip off of the third and final round of the Afrobasket qualifiers in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

The quartet of Tylor Okari, Ariel Okal, Joel Awich and Preston Bungei joined the Morans camp in Yaoundé Tuesday and Kisoi, who is the team’s head of delegation, is brimming with confidence Kenya will post a good show and progress to the Africa’s premier basketball festival set for Rwanda from August 24 to September 5.

“The squad is upbeat and ready to end the 28-year jinx of failing to qualify for the prestigious championship in Africa. We’ve received a big boost after our four players who play pro joined us today (Tuesday) and were part of the team’s midday training session,” Kisoi, who is also the Director of Sports in Makueni County, exclusively told Citizen Digital from the team’s base in Yaounde.

Morans who are in group ‘B’ alongside Mozambique, Angola and Senegal play their first match against the latter on Friday before facing Angola on Saturday and then wind up their campaign against Mozambique Sunday.

Kenya lie third in the group following the first round of qualifiers and can clinch a place in the African finals by matching the results of fourth-placed Mozambique. The top three teams from the five groups will qualify for the continental showpiece as will, the best fourth-placed team.

“The three-week intensive training we’d at Nyayo has helped us correct our mistakes we made last November in Rwanda and I can say we have the best squad to send Kenya to the 30th edition of continental championships after many failed missions,” he added.

Kenya’s contingent landed in Yaoundé Monday afternoon.