2025 Afrobasket Qualifiers: Morans overpower Guinea to secure first win

Kenya men’s basketball side, Morans, on Sunday 25 February afternoon registered their first win in the 2025 FIBA Afrobasket Qualifiers thanks to a 80-74 victory in Monastir, Tunisia.

Coming off the back of two devastating losses to Tunisia and Angola, Morans had to make it count against an opponent with a similar record, and now stand a chance at making it through to the 16-team competition come the next window of qualifiers later in the year.

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.

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

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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.

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

He scored 15 of his 16 points in the second quarter, which included a pair of three-pointers and thought that was his best outing in national team colors saying: “It probably was my best performance with 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.

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For Guinea, they return home 0-3.

Additional reporting by FIBA.