Mayienga hails Lionesses heroics despite Covid-19 setbacks

Kenya national basketball women’s team head coach George Mayienga has hailed his players for qualifying for the 2021 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket Championship set for Cameroon in September.

Despite going to the qualifiers in the backdrop of Covid-19 pandemic which largely disrupted the sport in the country, Lionesses overcame African giants Egypt 99-83 in the final at the Kigali Arena, Rwanda to clinch the only ticket from the zone.

““It was a big challenge bearing in mind how to what extent Covid-19 pandemic affected our leagues locally. We were however positive and did our best to achieve what we should have done in normal circumstances,” he said

Mayienga has revealed that during the final on Saturday, he only had eight players available with the rest injured.

The girls were upbeat, I had injuries which most people didn’t realise. I only played eight players in the final but God gave us the victory and I’m proud because it was a good challenge,” Mayienga added.

Mayienga had to without some key players he would have wished, held back home for various reasons.

“Some were doing exams, some were to join but they had some hiccups here and there and being the first time to win the Zone Five it’s an eye opener that anybody can do it,” Mayienga told Citizen Digital.

Lionesses will be playing in the 2021 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket Championship that will be held in Yaoundé, Cameroon from September 17 to 26 this year.

The Men Afrobasket Championship will be held in Kigali, Rwanda from August 24 to September 5.