This archive report was first published on 3 May 2021.
Kenya's national men's basketball team has made history by qualifying for the AfroBasket Championship for the first time since 1993. The team, led by coach Liz Mills, will compete in the 30th edition of the tournament in Kigali, Rwanda, from August 24 to September 5.
Coach Mills has expressed her excitement about leading the team, saying, "After my 1st FIBA Africa Zone VI Club Championship in 2012, I said I wanted to be the 1st woman to lead a men's team at AfroBasket competition. In August this dream will become a reality."
With over a decade of experience in African basketball, Mills has worked as a consultant and coached various teams, including the Patriots in the Rwanda top flight. She has also served as an assistant coach for the Zambia and Cameroon national teams.
Kenya's participation in the AfroBasket Championship comes after a 27-year absence from the continental level. Coach Mills believes she can break the near three decades' jinx and place Kenya among the top basketball nations in Africa.
"Women can do anything and we should not put limitations on ourselves," Coach Mills said. "If you want to be a doctor, an astronaut, you want to be a head coach, you should be out to do anything you want and our generation will continue to break barriers and the young girls can dream of doing anything."
Coach Mills has been in the continent since 2011, after graduating with a degree in Sports Science and Sports Management in 2008. She has been working with various teams and coaching programs, including a stint in Nairobi in 2015.
