Can Eagle Wings fly again?

Former Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) women’s league champions Eagle Wings begin their 2021season campaign against defending champions Equity Bank in the fixtures released indicating the top tier league resumes on June 5 at the University of Nairobi (UoN) grounds.

Eagle Wings were last in action during the 2019 season where they were eliminated in the playoff quarters but team manager Nelly Odera believes they are ready and will hold their own against the best as the league returns after a 76-day break.

The side will be without some of their players, including coach cum player Evelyne Kedogo who has left the side to guide a Nairobi Basketball Association (NBA) side.

“We are ready for league resumption and we are expecting to do well. It has been a long break and due to our financial situation, we have not been able to play in the many tournaments that have been held locally. We will therefore be working on our match fitness as the league goes,” 

Weekend matches set to end 76-day wait for KBF league return

“We have lost four of our younger players as they chose to play in the lower league but have equally made new signings that will help us fill the gap. Last season we managed to the playoff quarters but I am confident we can do better than that in the new season,” said Odera.  

The last league action was on March 21 before a presidential directive saw all sporting activities stopped until May 1. After the ban was lifted, the Ministry of Sports gave return-to-action guidelines two weeks later. 

In their statement, the Ministry of Sports directed that all federations were to wholesomely test all players at their costs with further guidelines to strictly lockout fans from their activities. The federations had also been ordered to submit weekly returns of covid-19 tests carried on active athletes.

 “We are trying to find a way to have the Covid-19 tests done by Friday, June, in compliance with the ministry’s guidelines. Being a self-sponsored side makes things much tougher for us but all the same, we have to go by the set guidelines,” she added.

The Africa bronze medallists are under the tutelage of Eunice Ouma who is also serving as the women's national team assistant coach.