Morans go down fighting against Ivory Coast

National men's basketball team, Kenya Morans saw their good start against tough opposition, Ivory Coast, dented by a second-half sloppy show in the first three minutes to go down 88-70 in their opening Afrobasket match.

This was Morans' first match at that level in 28 years and from the onset, it was clear that they were not just happy to be playing at that level, they had made the trip to Rwanda to compete and they were not backing down from any fight, even against the match favourites.

Heading into the match with the underdog tag, the Liz Mills coached side held their own in the first half, taking the lead from the hard fighting opponents severally to head to the half time break tied at 39 points.

In a match that the technical team decided to give each of the 12 players on rotation their chance on the court, Tylor Ongwae was the stand-out player and go-to-man on the floor, knocking down 25 points to top score in the match and for the Morans.

No other Kenyan player managed to hit double digits on scores. Tom Wamukota made nine while Albert Odero managed eight in the loss. 

The side had a slow start and needed to do some catching up in the first five minutes of the match, which they executed perfectly to trail by only one basket on the five minutes mark. Morans had a seven-point scoring run for 18-16 forcing the opponent into a time out. 

As Ivory Coast frantically looked to put the match beyond Morans, Mills' charges took it one play at a time, maintaining the difference at one basket at the end of the first quarter with the scores reading 26-24. 

In the second quarter, Morans brought their A game and took their first lead at 26-29. Ivory Coast, however, kept the match within reach with three points the biggest lead they allowed the East Africans. 

Morans still led 33-32 as the first five minutes of the second quarter elapsed and they held on, even as both teams exchanged leads six times in that quarter, for the match to head to the half-time breather on a 39-all stalemate. 

Souleyman Diabate got Ivory Coast on the driver's seat with two quick and easy drives to the basket before Morans could settle at the start of the third quarter. Guy Edi knocked down a trey and before they knew it, Morans were trailing by seven points with less than two minutes played in the third quarter. 

Ongwae, who had returned to the bench late after the half-time break to find action already on was quickly substituted in but Ivory Coast were ready to hold on to the lead, double teaming the Morans star to prevent him from making the scores.

Within the first five minutes of the second half, Morans were trailing by ten points. They cut the deficit to six and the match headed for the final period on a six-point different (60-54). 

Mills' charges held on and it was still a six-point game 71-65) going into the last five minutes of action. They kept the scoreline decent until the last one and a half minutes of play. Several poor decisions on the side of Morans and the opposition's ability to read Kenya's play led to 12 points in quick succession to see Morans go down 88-70 to place bottom of the group.

Ivory Coast dominated on most fronts, scoring 20 points from as many turnovers by the Morans while the home boys managed ten.

Morans had more second chance points, at 13 against the opponent's 12. Mills' bench produced 28 points against Ivory Coast's 23.