Defense key for Owuor as Morans capstone AfroBasket preps

Kenya Morans continue their preparations for the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket Qualifiers Group E Window 1 that throws off on February 23–25 in Tunisia, playing a friendly match against a Kenyan University select team on Saturday at 6 pm at Nyayo gymnasium.

Available are all the local-based players named in the provisional squad of 30, with coach Cliff Owuor revealing that three players based outside the country are expected to join the team in Tunis. The only international available in camp is Australia-based Desmond Owili.

Kenya will face off with host and reigning African Champions Tunisia in their opening encounter. They meet 11-time AfroBasket winners Angola on day two before tackling Guinea on the last day.

Coach Owuor says his target is to see his charges play better defense when they play the Saturday friendly. The side picked up an 86-83 win over a South Sudan (Kenyan-based players) side before squeezing in another 104-100 win over another Kenyan select team.

“We do not have a problem offensively, but allowing the select teams to score as much as 100 points is worrying. To be confident that we are in a good place to post positive results against these teams in the qualifiers, we have to make adjustments,” Owuor offered, further explaining that they need to restrict their opponents on Saturday to under 13 points per quarter.

With more than ten foreign-based players having been named in the provisional squad, the tactician has revealed that only three will join Owili and the rest in Tunisia.

“We have played with these three before, so I am not worried about the team’s chemistry. Additionally, we are in constant communication, and they know what is expected of them ahead of the matches. With two or three training sessions with the trio, all will be aligned,” he opined.

While Morans' focus will no doubt be on the two Africa powerhouses, they should not forget that they will find a Guinea side buoyed by the outstanding performance of their junior boys' team, a handful.

The Guineans defied all the odds and went on to make history by emerging winners in the FIBA U16 Africa Championship in Monastir, Tunisia.

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GROUP E

Tunisia

Angola

Guinea

Kenya