Fresh-faced Lionesses working on chemistry for Afrobasket qualifiers

Kenya Lionesses head coach George Mayienga has barely a fortnight to get his charges ready for a zone five challenge where the team will battle for a ticket to the women's Afrobasket.

The qualifiers are set to be held in Kigali, Rwanda from July 12. The competition was initially set for Cairo, Egypt from July 5 to 10 but had to be moved after the hosts pulled out citing a spike in Covid-19 positive cases in the country. 

Mayienga, who has been with the squad for two weeks now says, being a fairly new team, they have to work on team chemistry ahead of the qualifiers. 

"This is a very new team as only three players from the previous team that played at the last Afrobasket edition have made the provisional squad. I am basing my system of play on the three as they have the experience but the focus is on team chemistry. We have a good squad, a mix of youth and experience and it will be a challenge for those playing at that level for the first time. Individually, all the players are good but we have to find a working combination in the final 12," 

"For the two weeks I have been with the players on non-residential training, I have made it about individual work rate and mental aspects of the competition while incorporating some fundamentals of the game. We had some of the players away in Malawi with Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) while some of the foreign-based players are yet to join so it has been a challenge to work on team plays," said Mayienga. 

However, with Dubai-based point guard Rose Ouma arriving late last week and the trio of Felmas Koranga (USA), Georgia Adhiambo (Rwanda), Brenda Wasuda (USA) and Purity Auma (Bangladesh) expected in camp this week, Mayienga has already delved into a more comprehensive team-structured training. 

"We have a bulk of the squad now and the training over the weekend and on Monday, 28 June, was good. We have had Mercy Wanyama and Vicky Wanjara since training began. With a full house expected this week, we will put our house in order then we can talk about where the team is tactically," added the Uganda-based tactician.

Lionesses will miss the services of Celine Okumu who has had to sit the Rwanda trip out after the change in dates following a change in hosts collided with her already- planned-for exams. Additionally, Mayienga is sweating over three players who are nursing injuries but is hoping the medical team will give them a green light well in time to be up for selection ahead of the competition.