2023 FIBA AfroCan: Morans stumble to Gabon but sneak into quarters

As soon as Lerry Rostand Essono leaped in front of Victor Ochieng to make a late three on the left wing, it was evident that this was not Kenya’s day.

Indeed that was the case, as at the end of the Monday mid-morning pool fixture at the Pavilhao Multiusos de Luanda Arena in Angola, Morans stared down at a devastating 66-63 defeat to bottom-placed Gabon.

Fortunately for Cliff Owuor’s side, in as much as the sting of falling to their first defeat of the tournament - and to an opponent they shouldn’t have lost to in all fairness - was visible on the player’s faces, there was a reprieve - one that came in the fact that Morans had secured top spot in Group A, marginally edging out second placed Ivory Coast by points differential.

“We came here confident but we did a few wrong things down the stretch,” forward Bush Wamukota said post-game. “The stats tell the whole story. Our points were off and we had a lot of turnovers that of course impeded our performance.”

After a 15-16 lead in the first quarter, Kenya looked to be cruising to their second victory of the tournament, especially when a huge rally from the pair of Eugene Adera and Derrick Ogechi steered the team to a 32-27 lead going into the break.

Then everything came crumbling down in the second half, and especially in the third quarter.

Two turnovers from Fidel Okoth and Ogechi introduced the sequence of play in the third, all as Gabon - through some incisive piece of offense - chipped the lead off, making a 7-0 run that saw the Central Africans rebound from a 29-36 deficit to a 38-37 lead and with just under five minutes to go in the quarter.

Kenya’s defense was letting up easy points, and it only took the effort of Brandon Muchina and Griffin Ligare to cut the lead and effectively take a single point lead early in the fourth quarter.

Back and forth ensued till the last two minutes of the game, where Kenya, with the scores at 61-61, looked to panic, gave away fouls, and made hasty moves that were of course countered with the big three - the dagger.

“I felt like we forced a lot of shots,” Cliff Owuor said after the game. “We needed to make extra baskets but lacked the right discipline. These are things we will have to work on.”

In total, Kenya committed 19 turnovers, with Gabon racking 16 points off them. On shot efficiency, Morans shot 27 off 60, with Kenya’s top scorer being Ogechi with 16 points and eight rebounds.

2023 FIBA AfroCan: Impressive Ogechi steers Morans to victory in Luanda

Eugene Adera was the other man in double digits with 12, while the duo of Farrel Drexler and Lerry Essono put up 17 points each for Gabon - who finished third in the group and will play a quarters qualifier game on Wednesday.

Kenya, on the other hand, will make due with two days of rest, as they prepare for Thursday’s quarter finals.