Kenya clinch first win, Guinea remain upbeat about AfroBasket chances

 

MONASTIR (Tunisia) - Guinea point guard Shannon Evans has no doubts that his team will qualify to the 2025 FIBA Africa despite their 0-3 record in Window 1 of the Qualifiers held in Monastir.

Less than 24 hours after pushing hosts and reigning African champions Tunisia to the limit, Guinea came up short against Kenya 80-74 on Sunday.

They return home winless, but in Evans own words, “We’ll try to play our best, play hard, have our full team with us and we’ll try to get some wins in the next window. We’ll be at the next AfroBasket, I am sure.”

Evans had another stellar display, leading all players in scoring with 29 points; Cheick Sekou Conde, the other Guinean to score in double digits, added 14, but Zeljko Zecevic’s charges leave Monastir with a lot to think about if they are to qualify to the African Championship for the third time in a row.

Kenya, meanwhile, stepped on the floor, aiming to turn things around and their team effort paid off with four players - led by Albert Odero -scoring 11 points or more each.

It was Kenya Morans’ first win in the three games.

TURNING POINT: Guinea started the game with  a 5-0 run, but Kenya responded with a 13-0 run of their own midway through the opening quarter, and Guinea never led again.

Kenya managed their largest lead of the game in the second quarter (44-30), although Guinea weren’t prepared to go down without a fight. 

Kenya led by one (64-63) at the end of the third quarter, but, again, Guinea’s sloppy plays proved beneficial for Kenya who return home with a 1-2 mark and many reasons to be positive. 

GAME HERO: Odero may have led Kenya in scoring with 19 points, but Derrick Ogechi ignited their team when they looked helpless.

Ogechi scored 15 of his 16 points in the second quarter, which included a pair of three-pointers. 

“It probably was my best performance with Kenya,” said an elated Ogechi.

STATS DON’T LIE: Kenya coach Cliff Owuor praised his team for handling the ball better than their previous two games, and the instructions paid off as Kenya went from turning it over 25 times against Angola,19 times against Tunisia and only 10 against Guinea on Sunday.

Another x-factor for Kenya was its bench’s contribution as it outscored Guinea’s 30-15.

BOTTOM LINE: Kenya’s desperation and determination to win their first game was evident from the opening jump ball  until the final buzzer. Team Morans allowed Guinea to cut their 14-pint deficit to just one in the fourth, but they have never panicked and regrouped in time to close their Group E’s first round campaign with an important win. 

 WHAT WAS SAID: “We just to go back, regroup and come stronger in the next window. We need to make sure that we don’t turn over the ball over, and make sure to rebound. We need to make shots.” - Derrick Ogechi, Kenya forward.

FIBA