This archive report was first published on 22 June 2020.
Kenya's national men's basketball team, the Morans, are on a mission to reclaim their spot at the top of African basketball after a 27-year hiatus. Led by coach Cliff Owuor, the team has been working tirelessly to prepare for the FIBA AfroBasket 2021 qualifiers in November.
According to Owuor, the Morans have an opportunity to return to the continental showpiece and challenge dominant North and West African teams. The team has been playing friendly matches against tougher opposition, including Cameroon, and has done well.
Owuor believes that the inclusion of local players who are abroad will be a major boost to the team's chances. He has envisioned a team with a mix of local and international players, with players like Tyler Ongwae, Desmond Omondi, Ronny Gundo, and Robert Nyakundi, who have played abroad, playing key roles in uplifting the local-based players.
The team's preparation has been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, but Owuor is confident that everyone has gone through the same challenges and should not be used as an excuse to perform poorly. He monitors the performances of his players and also watches video clips of their opponents, Angola, Senegal, and Mozambique.
Kenya hosted the 1993 FIBA Africa Championship, where the team surprisingly reached the Final Four, its best performance to date. The Morans booked their ticket for the November showpiece by winning the six-team FIBA Africa Zone Five pre-qualifier in Nairobi in January.
At the much-awaited showpiece, Kenya will be up against Angola, Mozambique, and Senegal in Group B. The top three from the group will make the finals in Rwanda next year.
