Afrobasket preview: Morans seek redemption

After falling 69-51 to group B leaders Senegal in the first match of the final Afrobasket qualification window competition ongoing in Yaounde, Cameroon, homeboys Kenya Morans face another powerhouse, Angola on Saturday, 20 February at 10 pm.

In the November qualification window played in Kigali, Kenya lost 83-66 to Angola in a match that Tylor Ongwae and Eric Mutoro top scored for Kenya at 18 points each. 

Coach Liz Mills and Sadat Gaya's charges are hoping to turn the tables on Angola but to do that, they will have to play better than they did in Friday's loss to Senegal. 

"We need to play 40 minutes of good basketball as we are up against another good side. If we can play like we did in the first 20 minutes against Senegal, then we will be able to match Angola's intensity and have a fighting chance," said coach Mills. 

Morans had to content with 10 players in rotation against highly ranked Senegal as point guard Joseph Khaemba and forward Joel Awich were isolated due to Covid-19. Khaemba is reported to have returned and a positive test and Awich, being his roommate, had to be isolated too. The two are expected to be cleared to play in Saturday's match as subsequent tests have turned negative. 

"We are facing such challenges here but since they are not exclusive to our team we will have to rise above them and focus on the task ahead," added Mills.

Going into the Angola match, Morans will need to work on rebounding, transition defence and turnovers as Senegal outsmarted them in the two areas in the loss. The Senegalese side managed 27 points from turnovers against Morans' 16 and picked 21 more from fast breaks while Morans only earned six from fast breaks. 

The two sides tied on second chance points at 11 while Senegal scored 34 against Morans' 26 from the paint. Morans' bench power was, however, slightly better as it contributed for 18 points against Senegal's 13.