Morans hit residential camp as Afrobasket preps intensify

National men's basketball team, Kenya Morans, hit residential camp on Saturday 7 August 2021 where they are expected to be for two weeks before heading out to Rwanda for the 30th edition of the Afrobasket. 

For the first time since the continental showpiece tipped off in Cairo, Egypt in 1962, a total of 16 teams will parade at the Kigali Arena in Rwanda for the continent's biggest basketball festival that is slated for 24 August to 5 September 2021. 

In camp, coach Liz Mills and his assistants Sadat Gaya and Abel Nson have made three new call-ups to the team in addition to the squad that did duty during the last qualifiers.

Making the provisional squad are the USA-based trio of Albert Onyango, Derrick Ongechi and Bramwell Chevai all who are up for selection for the Afrobasket assignment. Also training with the team is Moi Airbase' (MAB) utility player Derrick Ochieng who has been brought in as a development player. 

Morans are drawn in Group C that has favorites D'Tigers of  Nigeria who are fresh from competing at the Tokyo Olympics, Cote D'Ivoire and Mali and having qualified as the third-ranked team in their group behind Senegal and record title holders Angola, they carry the underdog tag but have proved to be no pushover during the qualification as they beat Angola in Yaounde to clinch the ticket to Rwanda. 

Victor Bosire who missed the last qualifying window is also training with the team. The additions to the side are likely geared towards addressing the point guard position. 

In an interview with FIBA Africa after going down to Senegal 69-51 in their opening match in Cameroon, coach Mills lamented the lack of a point guard, despite traveling with Ulinzi Warriors' Joseph Khaemba for the assignment. 

Meanwhile, Denmark-based duo of Tylor Ongwae and Preston Bungei as well as Australia-based Desmond Owili and France-based Joel Awich are expected to link up with the team later for training. Ongwae spent the first week of non-residential training with Morans but had to leave in the second week for Denmark. 

Kenya is making a return to the continental event since 1993. The team's first appearance at tournament was 1985 in Ivory Coast where they finished last in a 12-team event after a winless run. 

Their next trip came four year's later when they traveled to Angola and like in their debut appearance finished bottom. In 1993, they won one match as Kenya hosted the tournament to place fourth in the nine-team event.