Morans' forward bags first title overseas

Kenya Morans' forward Ariel Okall has won his fifth career title after lifting the Oman top tier league trophy with AlBashaer Club on Tuesday 19 October 2021. 

This is the former Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) forward's first overseas league title, won in his fourth season in the Oman league. 

The Western Asia country jumped off his professional basketball career in 2015 a season after bagging his first league title with KPA as a rookie in 2014. 

He had joined the new kids in the Oman league, in February, for the 2021 season which jumped off on Friday 12 February, and was set to conclude in four months. However, his dream of lifting his first title in the country was cut short after the authorities suspended sporting activities in the country. 

He returned three weeks ago when the league resumed, after a stint in Uganda with Kampala International University (KIU) Titans and two matches later, the team has lifted the title after beating Nizwa Club 74-65 in the final match. 

"We did it! We fought for the title. This is yet to sink in that I am a champion in Oman, a league that has played a very big role in my basketball journey. Maybe when I sleep and wake up to see the medal it will dawn on me what we have done here," said an elated Okall. 

The national team forward has won the domestic league twice with the dockers in 2014 and in 2017/18. In 2016 he won the Tanzanian league with Don Bosco Savio and returned to lift the title in 2018 with the same team. 

The former Nakuru Club player first joined the Mombasa-based multiple local champions KPA in 2014, while still in college. After a season with KPA, he landed his first professional stint with Oman’s Ahli Sidab for two seasons from 2015 to 2017. He came back to KPA for the 2018 season after which he landed a deal in Seychelles with PLS Hawks.

In 2019 he returned to Oman where he featured for Dhafor for a season before returning home to KPA who were bundled out of the local league in the semi-final by eventual winners Ulinzi Warriors.

His stints in Tanzania have been short in between. He has also played in Algeria for US Setif before joining AlBashaer.