L. MathekaOkall back in Kenya as Oman suspend sporting activities
Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 22.04.21. | 19:38
The forward has shifted his focus to Afrobasket preparations. Kenya will be making a return to the continental showpiece after a 28-year absence
Kenya Morans' forward Ariel Okall had his hopes of lifting the Oman league title with new outfit AlBashaer Club crushed after the league was suspended with three matches remaining.
Okall joined the Western Asian side in February, after doing duty for the national team at the Afrobasket qualifiers in Cameroon, for a season-long contract and was hoping to finally bay the elusive Oman league title.
"We were playing a shortened version of the league and were three matches away from winning the title. The team was unbeaten until the league suspension. There was also the Sultan Cup tournament to play which we were also eyeing. Efforts by the federation to continue the league in a bubble setting bore no fruits," expressed Okall.
#اخبار_نادي_البشائر#سلة_البشائر
— AlBashaerClub (@AlBashaerClub) March 27, 2021
ضمن منافسات دوري عام السلطنة لكرة السلة لدور الثاني
البشائر يتفوق على صلاله
صور من المباراة #كلنا_خلف_البشائر#البشائر_مسيرة_نجاح pic.twitter.com/SHg3fOM3Pj
This was Okall's third club in Oman having previously featured for Ahli Sidab in his first professional stint in 2015 through to 2017. He returned to the country in 2019 where he played for Dhafor for a season before coming back to Kenya and rejoining his parent-club Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).
"Our last match was on March 30th after which the league was suspended. We stayed behind as negotiations on resumption in a bubble setting were on but now I'm back in Kenya. I am shifting my focus to keeping fit for the national team ahead of the Afrobasket camp. I have already hit the gym. I have to put in the work, even without an active league, since I need to be at my best for the continental assignment," Okall further explained.
After 28 years, @Teammorans finally earned a spot to the upcoming @FIBA #AfroBasket 2021!
— FIBA AfroBasket (@AfroBasket) February 22, 2021
Congrats ???? to ????????!#Qualified pic.twitter.com/wjHTlrx33R
A week ago Oman reported a spike in Covid-19 infections leading to a shortage in available hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds with 96% occupied. Oman has recorded about 170,000 infections with over 150,000 reported to have recovered.
