Tylor Ongwae back in Morans' squad as Kenya continue AfroBasket chase

Kenya Morans go to battle from Friday 21 to Sunday 23 February in search of a ticket to the 2025 AfroBasket set to be hosted in Angola for the fourth time between Tuesday 12 and Sunday 24 August.

Head coach Cliff Owuor, who will be deputized by Robert Mugabe and Ancet Wafula, has named a provisional squad of 23 scheduled to begin training tentatively on Friday 10 January.

Making a return to the squad is Nairobi City Thunder’s skipper Tylor Ongwae who had previously called time on the national team but has since confirmed his return from retirement.

Eugine Asike opens up on juggling classes and football in England

“I am excited to be part of the squad,” Ongwae tells Mozzart Sport, confirming that he had held talks with the coaching unit ahead of the enlisting.

The power forward exited the team in January 2022 after the 2021 Afrobasket, at a time when the team was rocked by accusations and counter-accusations between a section of the playing unit, the then head coach Liz Mills, and the federation, ranging from poor management to indiscipline on the part of the playing unit.

His decision saw him miss the February and July windows of the FIBA Africa World Cup qualifiers as well as the opening two windows of the 2025 AfroBasket qualifiers.

“I decided on my return after joining Thunder where we have about eight national team players. We have had a solid build-up and that gave me the conviction that we can replicate the same at the national level as we look to make back-to-back appearances,” the forward who captained Thunder to a historic Basketball Africa League (BAL) qualification, the first for a Kenyan side.

He makes a return to the team as Morans head to the final window of qualification in Group E which has back-to-back champions Tunisia, and 11-time champions Angola and Guinea.

Playing in the first window held in February 2024, Owuor’s charges lost their opener to Tunisia 90-69, and went down 88-58 to record champions Angola before picking a clutch 80-74 victory against Guinea to place third in the group. 

In addition to the former Niners Chemnitz ace who won the FIBA Europe Cup with the German Bundesliga side, Owuor will have his trusted trio of Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) league Most Valuable Player Albert Odero and Thunder teammate Derrick Ogechi who were instrumental in the first window.

Also joining the squad will be Joel Awich who led Morans in rebounding with six per game in the opening window. He averaged 10 points and was second in efficiency, behind Odero.

Meanwhile, Tom ‘Bush’ Wamukota who was unavailable for the February 2024 window is expected to make a return while US-based forward Ian Ochieng who plies his trade with Andrews University Athletics side Cardinals has also received a call-up.

“We have more than a month to prepare which is good for the team as this has been a limiting factor previously. It is a good place to start,” Ongwae concludes.