Kenya Lionesses face Cape Verde in must-win match at the AfroBasket

National women's basketball team, Kenya Lionesses face Cape Verde's Blue Sharks on Sunday 19 September at 10pm in the final group stage match for the East Africans who are looking to bounce back from the disappointing start against hosts Cameroon at the Women's Afrobasket. 

The Islanders ranked in position 88 in the world and 13 in Africa as of 14 September 2021, while Kenya is ranked 71st and ninth in Africa come to the match boosting 100 percent winning record against the Kenyans. 

"Against Cameroon, they came back aggressive for the second half and we failed to adjust. We committed many turnovers and did not box out well on both ends of the court and we gifted them an easy win,"

AfroBasket 2021: False start for Lioness against hosts Cameroon

"Going into this match against Cape Verde, I am not something worried about my offense as I know what my players can do on that end. We, however, have to get our defense right. Our rotation on defence has to be aggressive and also our box outs while protecting out basket and picking those rebounds. I believe some of my players had a bad day against Cameroon and we will be stronger today," said assistant coach Mike Opel. 

The two sides last met in the 2019 edition of the same edition and Kenya lost. Before that Cape Verde had defeated Kenya in the 2013 edition in the classification matches. 

Overall, however, Kenya has been more successful having picked silver in 1993. As for the Blue Sharks, they reached the quarter-finals in 2005 and eventually finished seventh which until now is their best placing at the continental competition. 

Cape Verde qualified after edging Guinea in the Zone 2 Qualifiers over two games. The latter won 65-64 in the first game before the islanders made a strong comeback in the second tie to win 68-59 and qualify for the showpiece in Yaounde, Cameroon. 

Kenya won a Silver medal in Senegal 1993 but have yet to re-enact that performance in the Women’s AfroBasket ever since. The Lionesses booked their ticket to a second straight FIBA Women's AfroBasket and seventh overall when they defeated favourites Egypt 99-83 in the Zone 5 Qualifiers Final at the Kigali Arena.

Lionesses finished fifth at the 1986 edition when they made their debut at the tournament in Maputo, Mozambique. They finished 12th at the 2007 edition in Senegal, 10th in 2013in Mozambique and 11th in 2019 in Senegal.