Coach Owuor opens up on Morans' AfroBasket qualification chances

Kenya Morans, the national men's basketball team, left their qualification chances for the 2025 AfroBasket to the last clash, against Guinea, after falling to Angola 88-59. 

The side arrived in Tripoli, Libya, where the final qualification window of Group E, which includes defending champions Tunisia, record holders Angola, and Guinea, will conclude on Sunday, 23 February, hours before the clash against the former African champions.

Morans issued a walkover against Tunisia in Friday's opener after travelling late to the North country. Coach Cliff Owuor attributed his side's second-quarter collapse to a lack of rest. 

"We did not have such a bad game. We were controlling the game well but they got physical and we were not able to match them. Fatigue kicked in and we made errors that gave Angola easy runs. They scored 38 points off our 30 turnovers which were largely due the team having not rested well," Owuor told FIBA.basketball in his post-game interview. 

Kenya led 25-21 in the opening quarter but were a pale shadow of that form in a 29-10 domination by the West Africans in the second stanza, to trail by 15 heading to the second half. A balanced third quarter for 15 points saw Owuor's charges carry the double-digits disadvantage to the final period. 

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Childe Dundao scored 25 points in just over 29 minutes Abou Gakou adding a similar tally in 30:41 minutes on the floor as Angola, ran rings around Morans in the final period for a 23-9 victory. Kenya's charge was led by Fidel Okoth (13) and Tylor Ongwae (10). 

Angola dominated 38-13, off turnovers and 44-18 on the paint, a victory leaving them second in the group. A 23-5 on fast break points established the status quo for a side that humbled Morans 88-58 in last year's February window of qualifiers.

However, the country is still in contention as it faces Guinea in a must-win clash on Sunday at noon.

Kenya is last in the group on five points, one behind Guinea who shocked Angola 66-65 on Friday before pushing holders Tunisia to the wall, only to lose 64-63. 

In the February 2024 window, Morans beat Guinea 80-74 and thus have their work cut out as they take on the Nedeljko Asceric-led side. The winner is assured of a place in the 16-team continental competition set for August in Angola. 

"We have to win and do so convincingly against Guinea," Owuor offered, asking what chances the team had to be in Angola later in the year. 

Kenya returned to the continental competition in 2021, after beating Angola in the qualifiers, ending a 28-year wait. The victory assures Owuor's men of back-to-back appearances.