TEAM PROFILE: Can Kenya replicate their inaugural AfroCan performance and contest for the title in Angola?
The silver medalists face tough opposition in the Group Phase. Expectations for the Kenyans are, however, high as they are no longer competing as underdogs.
NAIROBI (Kenya) - Kenya National men's basketball team, nicknamed Morans have a standard to maintain as they head to the second edition of the FIBA AfroCan set for 8-16 July in Angola.
The Zone 5 side was part of the inaugural championship held in Bamako, Mali going all the way to the final where they lost 82-61 to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
At least four of the players from the 2019 squad in Bamako are likely to make the final squad expected to travel for the second edition, their inclusion bringing some experience to Morans.
The side has the burden of proving that their inaugural edition exploits were no fluke. With the changes in the team, can they?
Team: Kenya Morans
FIBA Ranking Men: 97th in the world (18th in Africa)
Last participation at the AfroCan: 2019 (Inaugural edition)
Best result at the AfroCan: Silver (2019)
How they qualified for the 2023 AfroCan: Kenya Morans are the reigning AfroCan silver medalist, having overcome the underdog tag to reach the final in Bamako, Mali in 2019 but lost to DRC for the second time in the competition.
Having reached the final-four in Mali, they punched their ticket to this year's competition in Angola and thus did not have to go through the Zone 5 Qualifiers held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania last month.
Africa: Morans won the FIBA Zone 5 championships trophy in Kampala, Uganda to qualify for the Inaugural AfroCan. Their victory also came with a historic 97-79 win over Egypt.
In Mali, they bounced back from a disappointing 82-65 loss to DRC in the event's opener to beat Nigeria 81-69, Ivory Coast 85-83, Tunisia 82-76 and Morocco 96-66 in the semis to make it to the final, losing to DRC again.
Having created a solid squad at the AfroCan, Morans won the six-team AfroBasket pre-qualifiers held in Nairobi in January 2020 to book a place in the AfroBasket Qualifiers set for November the same year.
The team went on to qualify for their first AfroBasket (in February 2021) in close to three decades (28 years). Their last appearance in the continental competition before 2021 was in 1993 as the country hosted the showpiece, finishing fourth at the time.
Morans finished third in a Group C that had Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Mali, picking one win in the three matches. They lost 60-58 to South Sudan in the pre-quarters to exit the competition, ranking 9th at the conclusion of the extravaganza.
A woeful campaign for a place in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup ended with a humiliating exit for the team that was plagued with numerous mismanagement issues that saw only nine players play in the July 2022 window of qualification.
Tom 'Bush' Wamukota
Star Players: With the AfroCan being a tournament reserved for African-based players, but for two, Tom 'Bush' Wamukota who made the 2019 team of the tournament alongside tournament's top scorer Tyler Ongwae who has since called time on his International career, headlines the team's star list.
Wamukota, who plies his trade in Rwanda, has featured for the team on the African stage and has been a regular in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) qualifiers.
Veteran point guard Griffin Ligare who guided the team to silver in Bamako is expected to provide guidance on the floor as is Eric Mutoro who was instrumental in the team's run in the inaugural edition.
Skipper and 2019 league MVP Victor Bosire might have missed the inaugural edition, but his contribution in the AfroBasket run makes him a key component for Morans' success if they are to contest for the title.
Bosire helped his side Equity Dumas to reaching their first ever playoff final in the just-concluded national league where they went on to lose 3-1 to Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) in the best-of-five final series.
Rising Star: National league MVP Eugene Adera who was instrumental in handing KPA a third-consecutive league title is expected to launch his International career in Angola. He can marshal the floor and score and will definitely be one to watch.
New Additions: A good number of the players are honouring their first call up and while not all will make the final squad, USA-based Derrick Ogechi is expected to make the final 12.
Cliff Owuor
Coach: Cliff Owuor who was in charge of the team in Mali, guiding the side to a second-place finish makes a comeback to the team after missing out of the last outing for Morans in the World Cup Qualifiers.
Owuor took charge in the first window of qualification for the AfroBasket in 2020 but Liz Mills took over in the final qualifying window and at the AfroBasket in Rwanda.
Outlook: The team has a tough task ahead and coach Owuor is expected to name a title-winning squad despite most of the Internationals named in the provisional squad being unavailable.
The silver medalists face tough opposition in the Group Phase as they go up against Gabon and Ivory Coast in pool A.
Expectations for the Kenyans are, however, high as they are no longer competing as underdogs.
FIBA