This archive report was first published on 25 December 2019.
Kenya Morans' historic feat at the inaugural FIBA AfroCan tournament in 2019 breathed new life into Kenyan basketball, leaving a lasting impact on the sport.
On November 16, 2019, Eagle Wings' Rose Nshilla was in action during a playoff match against KPA at the Gymnasium, Nyayo National Stadium.
The team's impressive performance, which included victories against highly-fancied North teams like Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco, as well as Africa's top nation Nigeria, showcased their growth and determination.
According to veteran player and former Kenya team captain Ancet Wafula, featuring in the final of the continental championship was no mean feat.
"It was a huge achievement for Kenyans and a performance we should build on going forward," Wafula said.
Wafula, who currently plays for premier league side Thunder, emphasized the need for the team to put in more effort to maintain their good shows.
Kenya Morans shocked Africa when they shook off the underdogs tag and stormed into the final, where they claimed silver in Bamako, Mali, in July.
They bounced back from a disappointing 65-82 loss to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in their event opener to beat Nigeria (81-69), Ivory Coast (85-83), Tunisia (82-76), and Morocco 96-66 in the semis.
They lost to DRC in the finals.
"It was a defining moment in the history of Kenyan basketball; players put their differences as well as grievances aside. They changed their mindsets and summoned passion and patriotism," Wafula said.
Kenya's victory also came with a historic 97-79 win over Egypt's Pharaohs, with Tyler Okari being named the Zone Five Most Valuable Player and top scorer in the AfroCan tournament.
Kenya women's team also qualified for the FIBA women's Afrobasket but failed to impress in Bamako, Mali, due to lack of support from the government.
At club level, it was a bad year for Kenyan girls as Equity Bank Hawks failed to defend the FIBA Zone Five title, while Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) fell 58-63 to debutants JKL Dolphine of Uganda to settle for second place.
Ulinzi Warriors reclaimed the men's basketball premier league title following their 3-1 win over Thunder, while Equity Hawks retained the women's crown with a 3-2 victory over KPA.
